My Avengers AU
by MissDawes
Summary: Bucky/OC story that is discontinued until further notice.
1. Chapter 1

Full Summary:  
Mutants are public knowledge. They have been for the past 3 years and in those 3 years it has been a cold war between humans + mutants. After Loki's attack on Earth, that cold war has been brought from a simmer to a soft boil. After CACW, that soft boil has bubbled over and turned into fire that sweeps across not just America, but the world.  
When Steve and Bucky "died", they did so during a time of war and have waken in another war. Are they going to come out on top this time? Will they get a happy ending? Or are they doomed to perish? 

Warnings:  
I tend to curse. A LOT. I've toned it down but there are mentions of "shit" in this chapter. 

**Chapter 1**  
 **Things I Never Knew  
**

"How about our other recruit?"

"He'll need a little coffee in him, but I think he's ready to go."

"And the other?"

"Still a non-believer. But I think once she gets her ass out here, she'll be alright."

"C'mon, out. Out." The new guy knocks on the side of the truck. "C'mon, Jaydn, out! Don't make me get a stick."

There's a soft growl before she steps out.

"Joan?"

"He's very real and very much not a clone." Steve tells her.

"You haven't aged a day."

She gets closer. So close I can hear her breathing and see her pupils get bigger.

"Be cool, Jaydn."

She slaps me. Ow! God damn!

"God damn, Joan! What'd I do?"

Both her arms grab me around my middle and for a minute, I freeze. She rubs her cheek against my chest just like she used to do, and breathes me in. She's a lot stronger than I remember.

"As touching as this reunion is, we gotta keep it moving."

"You and me, we're gonna have a long talk after this shit storm is put down. And that's also after I put a foot in Starks ass. Speaking of, he's not far behind me so shake it."

"You're already suited up. That's cheating."

"Seems to be the only thing I wear these days. There be stupid people everywhere."

"You're Jaydn?"

"Yeah."

" _Jaydn JAYDN_. Like giant ball of fire in the sky Jaydn?"

"Yeah. Who are you?"

"Aw, man. I'm Antman."

Her brow arches. "Eh?"

"Pymm."

"Oh! I know him. He calls me Jay."

"You're Jay?"

"Ta-da."

"Cool. Captain America and Disaster in the same day. Really cool."

"Disaster?"

"It's what the mortals dubbed me a long time ago."

"Mortals? Don't start sounding like Loki." Steve tells her with a smirk.

"Kiss mah butt, Steve. Put your big boy panties on so we can move it."

"What's that alarm?"

"They're evacuating the airport. How are you still alive?"

"Y'know how there's enhanced people running around?"

"You're one of them?"

"Yes and no. There are those enhanced by science, like Steve, you and him, and then there are those where evolution has  
jumped. Humans have evolved into another species collectively known as mutants. I'm mutant. I was born as is."

"I don't remember you telling me this."

"Yeah, well, considering the negative reaction of my lovers trying to kill me, I just assume not say anything."

"Couples therapy later. C'mon, we're going up high. Jaydn, you gonna be on my six?"

"Since you asked nicely and not bark me, yes."

"I remember the last time I barked at you. Lesson learned: no one barks at Jaydn."

"Jaydn?"

"Joan is the name I used during the 1940s. I had to take another name to blend in."

"With us mortals?"

"Yep."

"So you two were a thing back in the day huh?"

"I chased her like a dog with a bone."

Sam laughs. "Sorry man, I can't see it. Y'know, you bein' you and her bein' her."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Your ex-boyfriends are all real psychos, baby girl."

"Say what?"

"Ex-boyfriends. You died. I got pissed, then I cried. Then Steve died. I got pissed again, cried some more, and fell off the  
face of the Earth for a while. Life for me continued. I thought you wanted couples therapy to wait?"

"Right. Right. I'll shut up now."

"Good idea. Now do your computer thing."

Sam snickers. "This has gotta be some wicked shit compared to your day, huh?"

"You have no idea. Literally, none."

While Sam is working on getting intel, we're staring at eachother. Her fingers thread into my hair and I take it as an invitation to kiss her.

"Guys, I can totally see you in the reflection of the screen. Leave it for later, will ya?"

"I didn't intend to go there."

"I did." My response gets a smile and she lightly slaps my chest.

"Just making sure you're real."

"Usually that's _my_ thought. You be careful, kay? It was bad enough waking up and thinking you're dead."

"Don't worry about me, Buck. I'm older than dirt and fought in more wars you can count on both hands. You just worry about you, ya hear me?"

"That many huh? That's too many."

"Shit people happen. I'll be back."

"Plane already departed for Siberia."

"Shit."

"On a cracker. What's in Siberia besides polar bears?"

"More like me. The shrink those idiots brought in, he uh . . . fucked with my head. He's going after the other ones like me  
but for what, we don't know yet. What?"

"Jaydn? Jaydn! Hey! Look at my new suit!"

"Peter? Peter." Her tone changes and her eyes narrow. "What are you doing here?"

" said-"

"Tony's a wanker and he's wrong. You take your butt home. Right now. Go home."

"But-"

"Butt should be at home. Where it's safe and out of-"

"He told me you'd get all mama bear like on me and said to tell you to shut up."

"Why do I feel an and at the end of that sentence?"

"A few things he said more to himself than to me, but he did say not to go easy on you or you'd put a foot in my . . . butt. So, sorry." The webbing hits her in the face and those still black nails of hers rip it to shreds.

"Uh-oh." Sam sings.

"I'm-a put you over my knee, boy!"

"You gotta catch me first! You always did wanna give me some real training. Bring it on!"

"Go on. I'll meet you out there."

"No you won't!"

"Oh yes I will."

"What the hell is that?"

"Everyones got a gimmick now."

"Less talking, more running."

"Sorry Jaydn!"

He beaks through the window and both feet hit her, and she goes flying over the railing. Her claws dig in and she scrambles up the wall and back onto this floor. It's so . . . weird. Kinda like T'Challa with them claws.

"Don't make me beat that ass Peter!"

"Child abuse! Hey, you have a metal arm? That is awesome dude."

"Got him."

Sam wizzes by, taking the kid with him, until they crash land.

"Those wings carbon fiber?"

I don't understand the rest. I'm watching Joan- Jaydn- whatever, she's within inches of tackling him and he leaps up and perches himself on the tower.

"Nice try, Jaydn. Sorry guys. I've got one job here today and I've got to impress Mr. Stark."

"Did he even explain everything to you?"

"He said you think you're right and that's dangerous."

He's pinned us down and just when he's about to pin her, that little flyer Sams got with him takes this kid for a ride out the window.

"You couldn't have done that sooner?"

"I hate you."

She finds us hilarious.

"Sam, you crack me up. You're starting to sound like me. You gotta find other friends."

"You know how difficult it is keeping them. What is this stuff?"

"Webbing."

"Webbing? Like what, a spider?"

"Exactly. Remember those enhanced people made by science? He's one of them. But like HULK, it was an accident." Her  
claws can shred through it.

"And you know him how?"

"Here and there."

"So he's a human spider?"

"Basically."

"She also runs a school for mutants. Ever since they've become public knowledge they've been under fire."

"When was that?"

"2013, so about 3 years ago."

"I'm gettin' too old for this shit."

"No. Less pizza, more cardio."

"We all don't have a metabolism like you! And I like my pizza."

"Don't we all?"

I haven't had pizza in so long I don't remember. 1949?

"Hey birdman."

The archer just smiles back. "How's the schools?"

"Could be better. The munchkins?"

"Growing like weeds."

She knows them all.

"Looks like you're the odd man out. Go sit somewhere."

"I sit on the side? Not a chance Stark. You worried I'll rip that arc light out?"

"Everything you've worked for towards mutant equality will be ruined with this."

"Before we were outed, we were viewed as equals. Humans mingled with us for centuries. That's only changed because people have their head up their ass. Favorite saying of your military is no man left behind. He was left behind and now no  
one wants to hear a damn thing that might prove them to be wrong about what they think they know. If they don't want to hold that up, I will."

"Suit yourself."

Stark makes sure to attack her first. My focus is on the guy in a cat suit that wants to kill me. I didn't set off that bomb. Not like he'll believe me. Given what I've done, I don't blame him. He pronounces her name like Jay-don.

"My fight is not with you. Step aside."  
She puts up a hand telling me to stay. When they move it's like a pair of cats trying to maul each other.

"My suit has had some upgrades since we last met."  
She shakes her hand. "Damn your hein-ass! Ya broke my nail."

"Coming through." That damn kid swings in between us and literally picks Jaydn up and drops her on top of a truck. So she dives on him and uses him as a landing pad.

"You two get going! You know not all of us are getting out of here."

"I can make it happen."

"No." Steve points at her. "Non-life threatening ass kicking only."

Her jaw snaps and I can hear her teeth click.

"Buck, you're with me. We're going to Siberia. Jaydn,"

"Yes, captain my captain?"

"Don't kill anyone. And meet us there."

"Siberia's a big place. You're gonna have to be more specific."

I give her the location and she picks a fight with catman as we're heading for the jet.

"Just how is she going to meet us there?"

"She can fly."

"What?"

"Long story."

"We got a plane ride that'll be a few hours. I'm sure you can give me the important bits."

Once we're in the air and a few miles away, I turn in the chair to look at him.

"Start talking."

"Where do you want me to begin?"

"Did you know she was . . . different?"

He gives me a look. "C'mon, Buck. We might've been a couple of kids, but we weren't that stupid. We knew. She knew we knew. We just never asked and she never told."

"Guess you're right."

The eyes. The claws. The pointy ears. When there was a round of any kinda cold or sickness going around, it never phased her in the least bit. I had seen her get into brawls with men as big as I am now, and come out without a single bruise.

How she could always _smell_ things from a far away. Like when I had been around the ladies and I smelled like perfume though I smelled nothing or when I'd approach her from behind, trying so hard to be quiet and sneak up on her to get my arms around her and surprise her. It didn't happen often. She'd say she could smell my aftershave or something else she described as just smelling like me.

"Alright, this _mutant_ thing, what is it exactly?"

"She calls it the x-gene. It can effect someones appearance, which would explain her ears and the claws she has in place of nails. Or it can give them a special talent."

"Hers would be what?"

"Quite a lot." He rubs the back of his head. "We heal faster than an ordinary human, but we're still slow pokes when it comes to her. There's a certain x-gene that gives someone an extended lifespan and their lifetime is measured by centuries and not decades. She's been around a real long time, Buck."  
That fact seems to make him sad.

"I heard that part."

His head moves side to side as _no_.

"She pre-dates America."

I don't say anything and let that sink in. Independance war was when again? 1779? 1670 something? I don't remember.

"She fought in the Independance War. She met Louis and Clarke. She shook hands with Abraham Lincoln. And that's coming towards this century. If you wanna go backwards, she met Joan of Arc too."

"When was that?"

"During the French Revolution in Europe." He pauses before giving me a date. "1790. Or there about."

"Jesus."

"She claims to be older than him."

"What?"

"Yeah. That was my reaction. I asked her once how old she really is, and she said she didn't know and she stopped counting after the first 100 years. So, she bases it off historical events. She had seen the Vikings, and they existed a thousand years ago. She had seen the Gauls and they lived in what's now mostly France, and they were around two-thousand years ago."

"So when she says she's fought in more wars than I can count on my hands, she really isn't exaggerating, is she?"

"I wish she was." He sighs. "She's shared with me shit that's not in history books."

"Language."

"No, I meant it. Shit is _shit_. I don't have any other words that sum it up better than that that wouldn't have gotten me slapped by my mother."

"So I got it on with a dinosaur . . ."

"Looks pretty good for a dinosaur."

"You hittin' on my girl, Steve?"

He gives me that lopsided smile. "I'm old, not blind. Any other questions?"

"Yeah. These ex-boyfriends that came after me, are they dead?"

"Some of 'em might be. I don't know how many she's had. I know her and Victor were a thing, but that was back during the Civil War. The only other I know about is Deadpool."

"Deadpool? The guy that never shuts up? That maniac!"

"Yeah. That maniac. I don't know all the details of when they were together, or when it ended. But I do know, and you're not gonna be thrilled, but they've got kids together."  
I'm waiting for him to say he's just messing with me, but it never comes.

"How many?"

"Boy, boy, a girl and then twins. The twins are the youngest and they're 20 years old. Or so I'm guessing since neither of them are in high school and a bit mature."  
After a few minutes he asks me if I'm okay.

"No. Not really. But there's no changing it."

"She thought you were dead, Buck. We all did. She never stepped out on you."

"I know. I know. I ju- I don't like it. I can not like it."

"I don't blame you. I mean, _Deadpool_. I'm not a hateful guy, but he's one person I'd love to push off Stark Tower."

"They're not together anymore, are they?"

"No. That ended over a decade ago. When mutant affairs got hotter, he came back to the states and they're friends."

"And this Victor guy, it's safe to assume he's dead?"

"Victor Creed is far from dead."

" _Creed_? Seriously!"

"Yeah. You know him?"

"We've met. It ended with his claws in me and my knife in him. Sam wasn't exaggerating about her exes being psychos. Guess I'm joining the club."

"You're not a psycho, Bucky. Everything you did under HYDRA, that was not you."

"But I still did it."

"Not in my eyes."

"What about hers?"

"She wouldn't be here helping us if she thought you were the bad guy."

"What was that about he's not a clone?"

"HYDRA has tried cloning her. The results are unsuccessful. They're either human and no x-gene, or all kinds of physical mutation, even retardation both mentally and physically."

"She's met them?"

"She never said much about her meetings with HYDRA, other than they were short, bloody, high body count, and HYDRA has been around for centuries."

"Shit."

"My thoughts exactly. And they weren't always just humans either. There's been mutants known to work with them too. Probably for the same chaotic world they seem to be aiming for. Either that or a dictatorship. With HYDRA, ya never know."  
I run my fingers through my hair and rub the back of my neck.

"So aside from the super healing and long lifespan, what else? The new guy said something about her being a great ball of fire?"

"She has an extreme form of pyrokinesis known as The Human Torch. It was coined by Johnny Storm from the Fantastic Four group of heros."

"I've heard of them. I thought . . . the first time I saw them I thought he was you."  
He laughs. "I know! Jaydn says everyone has a twin somewhere. Turns out, Johnny's mine. Then she went on to tease me and asked if I ever got my groove on with someone back in the day and created a mini me I never knew about. The more I thought about it, the more it made me restless but Tony got to the bottom of it. He held a party and stole a glass Johnny drank out of and it had his DNA on it. You wouldn't believe what they can do with spit these days. Anyway, I don't know if you remember, but I had a little brother."

"I remember."

"And he had kids, and his kids had kids, and by distant relation, Johnny Storms my great-great nephew."

"That's great!"

"And it gets better and weirder at the same time. I have another great-great nephew, snarky little shit he is, and he's the tech guy for his unit. Imagine me with glasses, a goatee and spiky hair and a smart mouth and that's Jensen."

"So, he's you with computer brains, glasses and a goatee?"

"Yep."

"Did I leave behind any kids? With her?"

He shakes his head no.

"I didn't know you two even got that far."

"Numerous times."

"Alright. Stop that twinkle eyes. I don't wanna know. I don't need to know anything else."

"I'll admit I was a pig, but Joan's my secret."

"Good. Cause I could've done without knowing about Janets birthmark or where it was and what it was shaped like."

"Aw, Stevie, fondue still making you blush like a school boy that just learned how babies are made?"

"Shut up." And his foot nudges mine.

"And speaking of babies, I'm assuming with her being old as dirt, she's got other kids, doesn't she?"

"Yeah, yeah. Some inherited her longevity. Others were even born completely human."

"Mutation's not genetic?"

"It is. But genetics are weird. It can show up in a family with no known history of mutants, and in a family of mutants there can be humans. It's still a mystery even to mutants, but what they do know is that majority, like more than half of mutants get their x-gene from their father."

"What were her parents like?"

"She doesn't talk about her parents."

"How many kids she got?"

"The answer she gave me was _many_."

"You ever meet them?"

"I met the daughter of Victor."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. She wasn't what I expected."

"Why's that?"

"She might look like her father, but she's got Jaydns temperament." He smirks, "Basically, she's pretty cool until you make  
her angry."

"Is she related to Johnny Storm too?"

"No. I wondered that too and so Stark stole her glass too to test that theory. Thing is, they were in an accident. They weren't born mutants. They were well into adulthood before they got their abilities. They were up in space when some weird dust cloud passed over them and they were exposed to it, and it changed them some how. Stark thinks it turned on dormant genes."

"They were in space?"

"Yeah." There's a lopsided smile again. "They've touched down on the moon and they've got rovers roaming Mars. We've missed a lotta stuff. Jaydn will catch you up. When I was brought out of the ice, Fury had brought her in to help me adjust."

"She knows Fury how?"

"Fury is one of the few government persons she has respect for. She doesn't trust him completely, but it's enough to at least hear him first."

"Most don't get that?"

"Not these days. She's been in and out of DC to speak with congress, senate, all that, and she describes it as playing pigeon chess."

"I don't know what that means."

"Playing chess with a pigeon, no matter how good your game is, the pigeon is just going to squawk, knock things over and strut around like it's victorious. Her argument is the game and they're the pigeon crapping on everything and strutting around like they can do no wrong."

"Gotcha. So that meeting in Vienna, was that just for people like the Avengers?"

"Yes. But there have been other bills in progress that would severely limit mutants. They tried to force a cure that actually turned out to be nothing more than a suppressor that nullifies the x-gene, and Jaydn thought for sure then it was going to explode into war. That was just last year and since that was a flop, they've been trying to make laws about registration for mutants, and forced psyche evaluations as if that's going to predict someone snapping. Anyone can snap. There's even been talk of segregation."

"That's bullshit."

"And Jaydn's getting tired of it. Mutants are dying. The governments looking the other way until someone fights back and now lynching are back in style. She says she's seen enough war and genocide for stupidity, that if they keep pushing, in her words exactly, I'm-a lose my shit."

I smirk. "Sounds like her. She hasn't changed, has she?"

"Not really. Though there are some changes. She's a lot more . . . hostile than I remember."

"It's a different time. She can't hide anymore when things go south."

"I know. Things are as they shouldn't be."

"Seems to be the story of our life."

"Shit's going to change. If it doesn't, I'll make it."

"Who said that?"

"Jaydn."

"Where's that name come from? Or did she just pick it?"

"Says she's used it on and off since 1779. She didn't gimme details so if you wanna know, you'll have to ask her. We've got a few hours. I suggest we catch a few zees."

"Good idea."

And I'll catch up with Joan after. 

A/N: Thank-you to everyone that checks this out. I'd love some reviews. Do you think anyone is OOC?


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

E.L.E.

"Bear! Steve, wait!"

"It's just Jaydn."

"What?"

"She's an animorph."

There's a giant polar bear just sitting there, waving at me and making a weird sound.

"What?"

The bear shrinks and its noise turns into laughter. She's still in that black wetsuit and she's laughing.

"I got cold! Polar bears have better insulation. Damn it, my cheeks hurt."

"How'd you beat us here?"

"A good magician never reveals their secrets."

"Have you been inside yet?"

"One person in there."

"One?"

"One."

"Stark here yet?"

"Haven't seen him."

"Must you climb on me?" I ask

"He's still talking. My feet are still freezing."

She's climbed on me like a monkey.

"Why not just go inside?"

"It's a giant cell and I don't do cages."

Once we're inside and the door closed, she hops down.

"Then how do you know someones here?"

"My senses are higher than yours. No ones been in here for over a decade. The new scent is all over the place."

"That talk of ours just got longer. No gun?"

"I'm not one for guns."

"You are now." She's not thrilled but she takes it. "You do know how to use it, right?"

"This end's the dangerous side, right? Dibs on taking point."

"Like hell."

"Jaydn,"

"Steve."

"I'm taking point. You're in our rear."

"Y-"

"The foot is down."

Her brows bend and she stares at him with an expression I don't remember seeing on her before.

"He's not used to how you heal. Do you want to scare him?"

"No."

"Do you want to distract him?"

"Rear it is then."

"Just how quickly do you heal?"

"I'll freak you out another time." She looks around the elevator and I can see she doesn't like it.

"It's an elevator. Not a cage. C'mon."

"Elevators give me vertigo." She steps in and bring the gate down.

"What is it with you and cages?"

"Humans like to put mutants in them."

When it jerks she presses herself against the wall.

"Is there an owl in here?"

"Shove it Steve."

It does it again and there's another little whoo from her.

"Woman faces certain death and she's afraid of elevators."

"I'm not afraid of elevators. I don't like 'em. There is a difference."

"It wouldn't kill you to admit it."

"I'm not afraid of elevators, Steve. I do however, fear boybands from the 90s, science and large crowds of stupid people."

I get why she doesn't like it here. I don't like it here. It's cold and dead here. Nothing good ever came from here.

"I think Stark is here."

"What makes you think that?"

"You know anyone else that clinks when they walk?"

He's behind us, prying open a set of doors to get in.

"Tony."

"Steve. You look a little hostile."

"It's been a long day. Why are you here?"

(Insert scene from movie here. Because I'm lazy.)

"You know about this?"

Steves silence says it all.

"Tony, don't do anything rash."

His glare moves from Steve to her. "We're on a first name basis again? Since when? Right. Bucky."

"It wasn't him and you know it."

"Do I?"

"They were friends. You weren't alive to see that. Y-"

That giant metal hand of his lands on her forehead and when he pushes, I hear her neck snap.

And I see red.

"Bucky?" Poke. "Bee? Hey, look at me. You in there?"

"Joan? You're alive."

"We'll talk about it later. C'mon, we're getting outta here."

"Steve?"

"Right here. I got ya."

When I wake up, I'm five seconds from having a panic attack. Steves awake in the bed next to me, flicking through the channels.

"Steve?"

The TV goes on mute and it's on cartoons now.

"Hey Buck. How you feeling?"

"Like my arm got sawed off. Again. Where's Joan?"

"With Eric next door. They're discussing rebuilding your arm." When I don't say anything he continues. "We're in the infirmary at her school in New York. Stark is on the war path. Wanda and the others are still in prison. The president's pushing. Jaydn's standing her ground and is ready to go nuclear. Some poor idiot from the papers calls her. He got the sound of a howling monkey in his ear."

"A what?"

"It's so high pitched and loud he's probably temporarily deaf in that ear. Viki, can you let Jaydn know we're awake?"

"Viki?"

"Artificial Intelligence. All her schools have one designed to be her eyes and ears while she's away."

"I don't want her to see me like this."

"Don't worry about it. She's had worse."

"Worse? Steve, I have no arm."

"I'm aware."

I didn't even hear the door open and she's in the room. The curtain to my left sweeps to the side revealing her and a red haired woman, and-

"Who are you?"

"Eric H. Stark. I see you've met my sperm doner." He knocks on my shoulder. "Had to remove a few pieces, but the base is intact. We didn't want it malfunctioning while still attatched to you."

"He's not working on my arm."

"Bucky."

"No, Steve. I'll learn to live without it. I'm not doing it! You can't make me!"

"Why don't you two step outside?"

"He's gotta hear his options some time."

"Dumping it on him right this second isn't a good idea. Outside. Both of you."

"Joan, don't tell me you're going to- to-"

"No, Bucky. I'm not going to make you do anything." She circles around the bed to my right side. "This isn't SHEILD and this isn't HYDRA. If you don't want something then no ones going to make you." She returns the squeeze of my hand. "With exception of a life threatening injury. Then I'm gonna fix you wheither you like it or not. You're in stable condition and when you're ready to discuss options, we will."

"I didn't know Stark had kids."

"He doesn't have kids. He has just the one. Eric. Who is also my son."

I pull my hand out of her grasp.

"Seriously?"

"Seriously. Unfortunately. We met when he was celebraiting his 20th. Huge party at the manor and I had been theifing from Obediah Slone."

"Don't know him."

"He was living in Stark Manor and operating Stark Industries. Tony had fucked off to school and contiuned to fuck off some more. Slone operated his fathers company, and began manufacturing weapons and selling them on the side. It wasn't my place to bring it to Tonys attention but I did anyway and he did nothing. It was one night of far too much absinthe and abstinance."

"You abstinate? Since when?"

"Gina, I told you out."

"I am out."

"No eavesdropping."

The redhead pokes her head in the doorway. "And miss eavesdropping on a coversation with an exboyfriend? Never."

"Am I star of your private amusing soap opera?"

"Of course not."

"Then don't be a twat."

"Do I get juicy details later?"

"Gina."

"What? He's so your type. Dark and broody."

"Viki, close the door."

The door slides shut on her fingers.

"Ow! Jaydn! You hagfish!"

"Some privacy please."

Jaydn waves at her and closes the blinds on her.

"How are things outside?"

She breathes in deeply and sighs. "In short, not good."

"I noticed Viki won't allow me to view news stations. Any reason why that is?"

Her arms cross. "President has pushed through the bill regarding heros and mutants to register. Those that do not are viewed as criminals. Riots, riots everywhere, followed by more looting. You two have been out of it for a good 40-hours. The only reason I'm here is because I needed a brake before I tore the city apart."

"They declaired war on us?"

"Oh, not just you. But everyone not human."

"When was this declaired?"

"When Stark reached American soil and spoke to the president directly via webcam confrence." Her finger taps against her arm as she stares at Steve. "Tony burned the bridge with me the second he agreed with the fucks that want to turn me into their pin cushin. If I get my hands on him, make no mistake that I will not rip that arc light out of his chest."

He sighs. "I know."

"Then you best make sure you find him first and take away his technology and keep him as your prisoner, because my amnesty is running dry."

"Jaydn."

"Steven." Her head tilts. "You jumped at the chance to become what you are because you thought it was right that you do it because it would enable you to help others. Stark is siding with the people that take away peoples rights. The governments known about mutants since the 1960s and since then the number of mutants going missing has quadrupled.

"The bills they have passed announce to the world what a person could do. Y'know what that means for a mutant? That means we are subject to discrimination where we live, where we work, where we can shop. That means every mutant known has a target on their back by someone looking to make the world burn. That means the government can deem it okay to isolate a 13-year old child because they're a telepath or harvest organs from someone that can regenerate and if they don't want to do it willingy, then it doesn't matter because mutants are viewed as animals.

"You didn't sign because of your faith in people. Majority of humans have none where mutants are concerned, and they've gone as far as killing their own kind because they're viewed as traitors to their species. Did you forget that I was in Europe during the holocaust? I lived through the Civil War. I was at Pearl Harbor when it was bombed. I was rounded up into a camp with the Americans that were descendants of those that came from Japan because I speak the language and I look Japanese to them. And if you'd like to go back even further, I was on this shore when smallpox arrived. Humans have declaired war on us and this time there is no hiding, and over my dead body will I tolerate yet another genocide. Be careful where you step with me."

"Miss Jaydn?"

"Yes Viki?"

"It is now ten after ten. You wished to know when the sun has set but I did not want to interrupt your conversation."

"More like speech. Thank-you Viki. The two of you are not prisoner here. You can leave when you like. But be aware that those that sided with Stark are also on my shit list. If you associate with them, I will question where you stand and the middle ground of neutrals is shrinking." Her attention turns to me.

"If you want to talk tomorrow, we will. Keep your hands off Eric. If I hear anyone has been butting heads, I will put a foot in the ass of everyone involved." She pulls the blinds and he and Gina are there with their faces up against the glass.

"And you two, stop behaving like a couple boobs watching the tele. You, don't be a nag. And you, don't be up his ass and don't treat him like a thing."

"Yeah, yeah. And what'd I say about introducing me as his son? He's my sperm doner at best."

"Fine then, son of mine."

"That's better. Viki, ready mah suit."

"Cancel that."

"What?"

"Sorry hun, but nope."

She gives him a push so he lands in the chair so hard he nearly tips it over. "Viki, keep that room locked. I'll see ya for breakfast tomorrow."

"What? No! Ma! Maaa! Viki, unlock this door!"

"Nope!"

"Unlock the door! Ma! Jaydn!" He beats on the glass with both fists but it doesn't break. It barely even rattles. "Viki! Open this door!"

"Sorry Sir, but my programming dictates that since you are in danger of harming yourself, that I am to listen to Jaydn and ensure your safety."

Followed by him screaming and beating on the glass until the chair breaks.

"Mute, Viki, please."

The glass of the room across the hall frosts over and we can't hear him cursing her in a language I've never heard before.

"Aren't you going to suit up?"

"Viki isn't letting anyone leave this floor until Jaydn comes back. She told the AI we're not to leave until she returns."

"So much for being free to go."

"HYDRA and what remains of SHEILD doesn't know where we are. I almost pity the fools that attack any school of Jaydns. Her physical education isn't running track and doing push ups. It's stuff like archery, martial arts and wilderness survival training."

"She's been building her own army? Jesus, did I know her at all?"

"There's mutants that can read peoples minds, walk through walls, and much much more. Y'know those stories about kings that had oracles and could forsee the future? Turns out there's a lot more truth to those stories than people realize. Jaydn gives them that knowledge because in the event that war does break out, they're likely to be on their own at one point or another, and this way they will have a higher chance at surviving. When they graduate they can further their education with college and-or join her militia for more training. She has a militia because of what her seers have seen coming. If things play out as expected, well, there's about to be a huge dent in the overall population of the planet."

"How bad we talking?"

"Elle."

"That's a who, but I'll bite. Who is Elle?"

"Not Elle. E-L-E. It stands for extermination level event."

"Extermination level event? Who? Humans or mutants?"

"Everyone."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

 **The Other Guy**

Viki has let us all out of the sub-level. It's been a day and a half since anyone has seen or heard from Jaydn.

Steve and I are in her office now, waiting for her return. She's due to show up any time. We're going to discuss leading our own unit. Well, Steve is. I'm not sure I wanna dive into this, but . . . it's complecated.

I thought I knew her. Joan McNaughton, my nature loving sweetheart. The girl that would hug someone if they looked like they were ready to throw themselves off a building. She loved pie crust more than the actual pie. She hated shoes and pantyhose. She liked hot baths and belly rubs, and morning sex.

On the other hand, I guess she really hasn't changed. Joan is the kinda woman that wouldn't let anyone get away with anything if she thought they were doing wrong.

And this, this is wrong. Capture and testing on people. Rounding people up in camps and treating them like criminals in their own country and for something they have no control over? Killing them just because they don't like them? Hell, if everyone did that, the killing would never end.

"You shouldn't snoop."

"Can't help it. I feel like . . . I never really knew her. I mean, she hid everything from me."

"Like what?"

"I don't wanna get into it."

"C'mon, I might clear some things up."

"I can just talk to her about it."

"That'll do with me."

I off the shelf a photo album. In it are all photo copies of pictures that range from developed film to poleroids.

There's all kinds from different time periods.

"Steve?" I raise the book a little. "Do you know anyone from here?"

"I don't know. I've never seen this before."

A few stick out to me. There's an old black and white picture of a baby girl. I think her hair is blond. There's another picture that seems to be a family picture.

"I know some of them. That's Carina. I've only seen her once. It was at the other school. I didn't know who she was until someone told me."

She's a slightly brawny woman with black hair and tan skin. In that picture with her are others.

"This is Astrid. Victor's daughter." He tells me, pointing to the opposite side. Steve really wasn't exaggerating. If Victor was a woman, Astrid is what he'd look like. Tall, blond, and a bit on the brawny side.

"That's Jack, her husband. Their baby boy, Jasper. He's not a baby anymore. He just turned 13. We went to Louisiana for his birthday and she showed me around before we came back to New York."

"She took you with her? Like a date?"

"No. Like a vacation. Away from SHEILD and aliens and just stress. Living at the Avengers Tower, even being off duty, I never really relaxed. She was leaving the state and literally had to kidnap me."

"What?"

"She said I'm going for ice cream, if you want one, you've gotta come with me. Next thing I know the doors are locked and we're driving right past Dairy Queen."

"Dairy Queen?"

"It opened some time during the 50s. They serve burgers and fries and frozen treats."

I turn the page. There's a picture that was taken from a far but it's obvious it's her.

"That was during the 60s."

"I thought you never seen this."

"I haven't. But I have seen that dress in another picture. She said it was a concert called Woodstock. She went there with Victor."

When we turn the page we come across a picture that makes us both laugh. It's Victor Creed in those jeans with flared legs and he's wearing a fringe vest over a t-shirt, a pair of round glasses and he's holding up the peace sign.

"He looks so miserable."

"He was."

She makes us both jump. "Jesus Jaydn! You're gonna kill me with a heart attack!"

"Boo." She smirks. "I told him I wanted at least one picture of him. I snapped this when Astrid put the hat and glasses on him. We thought it was hilarious."

"I'll leave you two alone. But when you're done, I wanna talk to you."

"Aye aye, Captain."

I forget I don't have my other arm and when I try to put the book back, I fumble and drop it. We end up butting heads when she tries to catch it.

"Sorry."

"It's alright. You okay?"

"Yeah. You got a head like a rock."

"So I hear. Want to continue looking at this?"

"Don't know. You got any of us?"

"Yeah." She puts that one away and brings out the one directly below it. "This one I think is from the 40s and 50s."

She brings it with her to the daybed and sits. I sit next to her so she's on my right.

"I made a lotta copies of these for Steve. After you, uh, died, and Steve too, I kept some things."

Some of these pictures were before Jaydn came into my life.

"He really was a scrawny kid, huh?"

"Chicken legs, stick arms and a pencil neck."

"Giant head."

We both have a little chuckle about it. Steve pre-serum. Even me pre-serum. It's weird seeing myself.

"It's weird seeing myself. Feels like . . . like it's not real."

"Like it's a past life you remember in pieces."

"Sometimes, yeah. When I'm lucid, I think everythings there but it still doesn't feel real."

"It's the disassociation. You were not you when you did things. Sometimes people remember, others don't, and sometimes it's bits and pieces."

"How do you know?"

"My amnesia is a bit different. Depending on the severity of the injury, I can be sent backwards months, weeks, sometimes whole centuries. From the time I think I'm in until the time my memories grow back, I remember everything I do. During that time I haven't always done good things."

I'm tempted to ask what's the worst she's ever done, but I don't. We browse the album in silence until we hit the page where our pictures begin.

There's a picture of me, asleep in bed.

"I don't remember you taking this."

"I never showed it to you. It took so long to get the film developed that you were gone by then."

There's a picture of Steve and I at the entrance to Coney Island. I remember that night. Peggy had conned Jaydn into coming out with her for a "girls night", but really she was getting her there so Steve could ditch me for Peggy and not feel bad about it. We ended up walking around the place all night, just talking, and playing games.

"I still have that rabbit."

Whom she called Peter. Steve joked he was our first kid.

"Really?"

"Really really. He's tucked away in a safe somewheres with your dogtags."

I wrap my arm around her shoulders and squeeze her.

"Couldn't let me go, could ya?"

"I keep things from many of my lovers."

"Damn. Way to deflate a guy when he feels special."

"You've always had an ego, B. Someones gotta deflate it a little sometimes before your head blows up and busts. But yeah, I had a bit more difficulty. Just when I began to entertain the idea of letting you know what I was, you died."

"I'm Sorry."

"Shit happens. I wouldn't say I'm used to it, but I do expect it."

"People really tried to kill you?"

"One set the house on fire while I was asleep. Another got stab happy. Those are just what I recall off the top of my head."

"'M sorry."

"Some people just can't handle things. I drop them and move on."

"Drop them? You just walk away?"

"Fuck no. I often dropped 'em in a six-foot hole before disappearing."

She turns the page. On these ones there's a picture of us at the beach. I think Steve took it. There's another of us playing in the ocean, but the third,

"That one I remember."

I caught her bending over to collect seashells.

"It was a view too good to pass up."

"Yer still a cheeky monkey."

"I bet the guy that developed the film developed another and kept it for himself."

"Sh." She elbows me and turns the page.

"Look at your skinny legs."

It's of me in my underwear, getting dressed and have one leg in my pants.

"Yer just jealous I had great legs. Just not better than yours."

"Still a flatterer."

"Some things are never gonna change. Are you complaining?"

"Nope."

When we come to the end of the album, she closes it and keeps it in her lap.

"Go ahead and ask whatever's on your mind."

"D'you still love me?"

Please say yes. Yes. Yes. One word: yes. Yes, yes, yes. Please say yes.

"You do know there is a difference between loving someone and being in love with them, yes?"

"I get it if you don't. Just tell me. Don't, don't lie to me. I'll handle it. Just don't lie to me."

"I won't lie to you, Bucky. Seeing you alive just brings a lot back. I don't know what I feel. Aside from pissed."

"What?"

"I went through those mountains and I found no trace of you. I hit every bunker and base around that area and I found nothing."

"HYDRA is a slippery snake. They knew someone would've come for me. I was probably already in Russia before you set foot in Europe. But you went looking. It's more than what anyone else did."

I slip my hand in hers and squeeze. When she squeezes back I can feel her claws graze my skin.

"I've had some time to think about how things are now. I get it. How things moved on for you. I'm different now and I won't subject you to the mess I am."

"Buck, I've been a mess since before they had a name for that mess. I'm not afraid of you if that's what you're thinking."

"You should be. I've killed people."

"Maybe. But you were not you. Not really. I have not always been kind towards mortals. There is much you don't know about me."

"I realized that. Lets start with your real age."

"Judging by historical events, I'm guestimating myself around 2-thousand years."

"Ya look good for your age."

"So do you, grandpa."

"How many kids you got?"

"Alive or deceased?"

"Alive."

She thinks a moment. "Over two dozen."

"Jesus."

"No. None of them are named Jesus."

"You single?"

"Um-hm."

"Good. Cause I'm the jealous type."

"I know."

"Can't help it. I'm still not happy about you and Stark."

"You feel what you feel. Just try not to take it personally. It's not like I stepped out on ya."

"I know. I just don't like it. I don't like it. When I heard that is was just . . . I wanted to punch him in the face."

She smirks. "Beat ya to it."

"No!"

"Yep. A few times actually."

"And you and Deadpool? Serisouly!"

She shrugs. "Wade wasn't always Deadpool. There's much you don't know about him."

"Will you tell me another time?"

"If you want to know, ask Wade yourself. It's not my story to be telling. Is that your stomach or mine?"

"Probably mine. I haven't eaten yet. When did you eat last?"

She shrugs. "Wanna have dinner with me?"

"Sure."

I teeter when I stand and she puts an arm out for me.

"Sorry. Not used to it not being there. Physically."

"It's alright. I've been there."

"Last I checked you've got two arms."

"My regeneration is extreme. I can replace lost limbs. Growing it back takes about a week and it's a bitch. I've lost an eye, fingers, toes, pretty much everything you see isn't what I was born with."

"Lucky you."

"It's both a blessing and a curse. My regeneration is one reason why I've lived this long."

Now I get the cursed part. Two-thousand years old and how many friends has she outlived? Family? How many loved ones she's buried and children. How can she do it?

"It doesn't bother me."

"It bothers me. It's not mine. I never wanted it. All it's ever done is destroy things."

"Be that as it may, the one Bug and Eric are designing, it is for you to help you." She squeezes my arm. "No strings, no trades, no nothing. It's for you. You do what you want with it."

"And if I don't want it?"

"Then it will sit around their workspace should you ever change your mind."

"Thank-you."

"For what?"

"You're good to me though I don't deserve it."

"Well, I think you do. So does Steve and a lotta other people. So get used to it."

"Mrow."

She hisses at me so I scratch her head. When I stop she tips her head towards me.

"Don't be a tease, Barnes."

"Me tease? I recall you being the tease."

"Me? Never. That was building anticipation."

"Who's building anticipation? And why wasn't I invited? Was it the good kind? I wanna hear all about it. Like, did the serum make his trouser snake into an anaconda?"

"Wade."

"Are you two a thing now? Cause I totally got a thing or two to say about that."

"Yes, what are we?"

"I think, due to just how we're in eachothers lives again, we should be friends again first."

"Then friends it is."

"Yes!"

"For now."

Wade's happy is sucked right out of him and I can tell he's glaring at me from behind the mask.

"Oh no. Forever. I'll be cock blocking you so hard-"

"Wade!"

"What? You're my baby mama, the Thelma to my Louise, the sugar in my coffee,"

"Wade."

"And I'm never letting you go." He picks her up off her feet in a bear hug and pets her head. "You're my preciousssssssss."

"Alright you psycho. Put me down and don't pet me. I'm not a dog."

"Technically, yes, you are because you're an animorph. You're an animal. Both in the sack and out. You still haven't said if you can turn into a T-Rex. I'd love to ride one like a giant horse." He prances around the island counter, picks up a cracker and stuffs it in his mouth, and keeps talking.

"A dinosaur would never tolerate that. And no, I can't transform into anything that ancient. Downfall to my ability is I've have to have seen the critter before I could change into it. I might be old, but I'm not that old." She sweeps the cracker across the spread.

"You want some cracker with that spread?" I joke and help myself. Hmm, that's delicious.

"I lost my arm once. It hurt like a bitch but it grew back."

"Wade."

"It grows out hand first if you can believe that shit. It looks like a baby arm."

"One more comment about an arm and I'm gonna rip yours off and beat you with it."

"Go ahead. It'll just grow back. And I love that teeny tiny hand. Makes my wang look huge."

She swats him with the spoon. "Aaah! Ooh. Don't make daddy punish you."

"Don't make me send you out of the room. Who made this? It tastes like liquid shit."

"You know I can't cook. Why do you think it's still there? And I followed your damn recipe."

"Bullshit ya did. I've had better slop during the crusades. Do we have any meats?"

"Only if you let me butcher Lucy. Brought you a pot of dirt."

"Eggs?"

"Eggs we got. Viki said you need to see this. She won't let me view anything." He hands her a plex. "Can I feed the wee piggies?"

"It's too spicy. Rinse it off first and toss it. If they want it they can have it. Where are all the nail files?"

"Whatever you did with it."

After sifting through the many drawers, she comes across a giant nail file and files down her index finger claw. It lays on the table while she scrolls, reads, and in the pot grows a pepper plant.

"Another talent of yours?"

"I never disclose everything. It keeps the idiots safe from me when they do something stupid."

She plucks all the green peppers off and on it grows more.

"There's a rolling cabinent with drawers over there. Can ya bring it out?"

"Yeah. So what's that Viki wouldn't let Wade see?"

"Latest reports on the schools. People there, people not there, supplies." She sighs. "Latest messages from people."

"How is it out in the city?"

"Seemingly deserted."

"What exactly is the end result they're looking for? If mutations genetic, can't anyone carry it?"

"Um-hm. You've got the potential to have mutant offspring. Everyone does. What they haven't told the public is that more than half of mutants get their x-gene from their dear ol' dad."

"Steve told me about that. Want these in there?"

"Please."

She plucks off some more peppers before swiping the page.

"Steve also told me about your birdies."

This causes her to freeze and her head doesn't move, but her eyes look up at me. I don't like that look. It makes me think she's up to no good.

"You're not gonna attack me, are you?"

"No, Bucky. I'm just . . . over protective of them. Their family history with people is not good. I've kept them hidden for centuries and centuries more, if I can help it." Her attention returns to the plex and I continue putting the peppers away.

Both hands land on the pot and the plant changes. It's now giving out red peppers.

"What's this ability called?"

"Chlorokinesis. It's the manipulation of plants and their growth cycle, and can also include their DNA."

"Plants have DNA?"

"Yes. Everything does. DNA is what makes things what they are. It's why these peppers are red and not green, and why they differ from the oht variety. So on and so forth."

"There's the end of starvation."

"Hm."

"What's that mean?"

"Many others have had that same thought. I don't think I need to paint you a picture of how it ended for them when they demanded I make them rich. Starvation, as shitty as it is, it is apart of nature. I don't interfere with the nature of things."

"That's a bit harsh."

"I'm capable of creating floods and tornados and manipulating them, but they too are apart of nature. You know what happens when you hold back a sneeze? It hurts, doesn't it? Now imagine if the Earth wasn't able to sneeze and you force it to hold it in, and then one day, guess what's going to happen. That sneeze turns into a global disaster.

"There are 7-billion people on the planet. Now lets convert those people into two species, wolves and rabbits. When the food is good, rabbits are plenty. That means a wolfs population will grow too because there's more to eat. That creates more demand and when demands are not met, rabbits starve, which means wolves will eventually starve. I'm not above giving to the starving, but I will not be a perminant fix nor will I be someones pet. People will get lazy. They won't help themselves and I do not help those that will not help themselves. Suppose one day there are no more people with my ability and people have no idea how to work the lands? They starve anyway."

"Are you not just viewing humans as rabbits and mutants as wolves?"

"Contrary to popular beleif, I don't hate mortals. Their aim in this war is to exterminate mutants. The only good mutant is one that's under their control and when they lose that control, they treat a person like an old horse thats no longer useful to them. I speak from experience nd given what HYDRA has done to you, you're the last person I'd expect to not understand that. If what my birds see coming comes true,"

"ELE. I know. Steve told me. You're not going to share details, are you?"

"Nope."

"I'm baaaaaack. Piggies are nibbling happily. Got more eggs. Ooh, peppers. Lets have omlettes."

"Older peppers first."

Wade is all too happy with that knife.

"Ya gonna let the boy genius and king nerd fix your arm?"

"Haven't decided yet."

The peppers have turned to yellow. She sets the plex aside and focuses on the pot. Wade's knife on the chopping block is getting on my nerves. Chop-chop-chop-chop.

"Can't you do that quieter?"

"Do what? I am being quiet."

"For once."

"Please, you know you like the sound of my voice."

"It's not bad."

"Not bad? If I had a lame job it would be reading books to make audio tapes for the blind. That's how awesome my voice is."

"No. Morgan Freemans voice is that nice. Patrick Stewarts voice."

"Patrick Stewart? Like Professor Q-ball?"

"Yep."

"Professor who?"

"Charles Xavier."

"He thought you were the other guy."

"What?"

Steve smirks. "Charles and her were a thing in the 60s. He's also a telepath and thought you were the other guy."

"Steven Rogers, I told you that in confidence."

"Oh no, nope. It's outta the bag now. You gotta tell me."

She huffs. "Charles got a few glimpses of me thinking about the past."

"You mean about me?"

"And he automatically assumed I was stepping out on him."

"Whoa, dude! Cock-blocking the professor while you're dead! Epic!"

"Seriously?"

"That information doesn't leave this room. Stop smiling." She leans over and swats me.

"Can't help it. 20-years later and you're still thinkin' about me? That's somethin' to be proud of."

"Cheeky monkey." She pinches my cheek.

"Just what were you thinking about, huh?"

"No comment."

"C'mon. Ya can't leave me hanging."

"Oh yes I can."

"Please?"

Wade curls his finger for me to come closer and when I don't, he gets right up in my face.

"Go love on her like a cat. She likes it." And rubs his cheek on my shoulder. "Ooh, so brawny. You should replace that paper towel guy."

"Get off me."

"Ooh, so bossy. I like it when they're bossy."

I take his advice and rub my cheek against the back of her head before I rest my head against hers so my lips are right next to her ear.

"You gonna tell me or what?"

"A song came on that we had danced to and I thought of you, alright?"

"Yep." I kiss her cheek. "Thanks doll. That just made my day."

"Ooh, kisses, do I get one?"

She kisses her hand and lightly slaps his cheek. "Eggs please."

"Tease!" But he does as she asks.

"What now Steve?"

"When are we going after Sam, Wanda and the others?"

"Day after tomorrow."

"Why so long?"

"Stark's moved his underwater goulag, and on the topside is a few battleships. But if you want to be stupid, then I'll be forced to-"

"Lock me in a room like you did Eric?"

"Eric is the youngest. He's always had brains to make his own brawn, and it's given him the idea nothing will ever happen to him because of his suit of armor. One good knick in that suit, he's compromised and without it, he's got the same chances of winning fights as you did pre-serum. I'll tie you to a bed and lock you in a room if I have to because no one goes anywhere alone."

"You go places alone. And often. Or so I hear since it's not like you let me come with you." Eric is in the doorway and with Steve in front of him, none of us even seen him.

He's a little taller than his father, pencil stick arms and legs. He wears his hair short in the front but long in the back and it's braided.

"This isn't anything new to me."

"Yes it is."

"People killing people. It's not new to me and you know it."

"Yes it is!"

She leaves the stove and mirrors his stance at the island counter. Hands on the edge, leaning foreward.

"Yes it is and you don't know it's nothing new because it is not the same as it was before. You flew in, kicked ass and went home. You did so alone. Now you've got team mates. You're not out there by yourself anymore. You have people around you that you need to depend on for safety and they depend on you for the same. This is different because the person standing next to you is counting on you and chances are they're gonna be someone you know. What do you do when you look over and they're dead?"

"That's not going to happen."

"It does and eventually it will. What do you do?"

"I wouldn't know. You never taught me that."

"Because it's not something you can teach and I'm trying to keep you from it."

"I'm not a child!"

"You're my child."

"Miss Jaydn?"

"What Viki?"

"Jordan is on line one for you."

"Who's Jordan?"

"Her general in the west. He need a hand?" Eric smirks, "You can't keep me locked in here forever."

"He who runs into battle head first, loses said head before anyone else."

"Confucius?"

"Me. Wade, don't burn my eggs. I'm taking my call in my office. Steve, I'll meet with you an hour before we leave to break into Starks Prison."

"Yes ma'am."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Back In Action

Eric is overseeing Bug working on my arm. Steve knows Jaydn won't let me go with them to Starks Prison unless I'm . . I'm not a liability.

"Must you be up my ass?"

Bug is a genius in disguise as a couch potato. He's unshaven and scruffy. He's got a bit of a belly and he's soft everywhere. Hit T-shirt is stained to high heaven and his jeans are raddy. I wouldn't be surprised if anyone mistook him for a homeless person.

"I'm over-seeing things. This is my design as much as it is yours."

"Who's the cog here?"

"We both are, tit-head."

"You look like shit. Why?"

"Ronnie's being distant. Nothing unusual. But since she's pissy and not within wind of me. I feel no need to shower every damn day or shave."

"It's her skin. It's sensative to everything. It's why she's so clean."

"Something nagging at you, boy?"

He's been staring at me and paceing and tapping his finger on his arm the way Joan- Jaydn- does when she's annoyed.

"It's been a while since my mother had a boyfriend."

"We're friends. Due to the circumstances."

"Another for the I heart Jaydn club."

"Don't start."

"Your mums a babe."

"Shut it."

"She could be in Playboy magazine."

"Bug."

"2-thousand years of experience in a 25-year old bod-eee! That's my hair."

"Be quiet or I will share with you my thoughts about Veronica and her oh so milky skin."

"Go ahead. I already know she's delicious. And that's weird. She's your half-sister."

"Yeah, you're right. I'll talk about that handsome fella you call your brother, then."

"Go ahead. I've got no delusions about my brother. He's adored by the ladies and a lotta guys, and he's not a prick."

"Just shut up."

"Yes, master."

"He is right though. Your mom's a babe."

"Don't you start. I got rid of the last guy that was intrested in her."

"Oh yeah? How?"

"I scared him till he peed. It was good times. Test her out."

Up, down, side to side.

"There's some new features. You have 360-degree motion in your shoulder but not your elbow. There's a sensor in here for heat and cold and weight so it should feel more . . . less foreign. You also won't set off metal detectors anymore."

"Heat and cold?"

"Yep."

"Thank-you."

"You are most welcome. Now since we got a few hours, why don't you go play and see if there's any kinks I gotta work out of it? It's been, well, forever, so I'm gonna go shower."

"And shave your face. We're geniuses. Not cave men."

He makes a series of grunting and then clonks him on the head with his clipboard.

"Funny."

"I thought so."

I join Steve in the gym where he's playing with a group of kids. He leaves them to play catch with me.

"How's it feel?"

"Nothing will beat the real thing, but it's also not HYDRAs. It's good to have something back, and it's not, y'know, here, go kill someone with this."

"Well, that's . . . less negative than I expected. I told ya, they're not like HYDRA."

Bug looks better now that he's had a shower and a shave.

"What'd-ya know, there's a handsome fella under there."

"Shut up Steve."

"Shut up Steve. You talk to Ronnie yet?"

"No. She's disappeared off the face of the damn Earth."

"She's a sexy lil ninja, just like her mama." Wade kisses Jaydn on the cheek and she rolls her eyes.

"What'd I say about that?"

"Don't do it in public?"

"And?"

"Don't do it in front of Bucky?"

"And?"

"What? There's more? Did I forget again?"

"She means what'd you just do, dumbass."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't care if you saw or not."

"Don't stab him. He'll stab you back and you'll lose."

"Yep!"

"If you don't want to behave, Wade, you can stay here."

"What!"

"You heard me."

"It's not my fault he's still got a boner for what's mine."

The look on Jaydns face says it all.

"Funny, I don't recall us picking up where we let off, nor did you want to. You don't get to pull this shit now that you're worried about me being unavailable to you. I belong to no one but me. And for that, you are staying home."

"Jaydn,"

"Nope. You're staying home. I'm not going ot have drama in the middle of an invasion."

"Jaydn."

"That's an order."

He responds by screaming and walking away, and screaming through the whole damn house as he keeps walking through the rooms.

"Alrighty, I'll see ya'll later. I'll have the lab ready and waiting for ya."

Jaydn grabs him in a headlock as he goes by her and she rubs her knuckles against the top of his head.

"Good nerd."

"Yeah, yeah. Go kick butt."

"You smell much better. Ya feel better?"

"Yeah."

"Told ya."

"With loads of respect, kiss my butt, ma'am." His responce gets a grin from her and I'm noticing those K9s again.

Eric is here. He's been so adament about being more involved, Jaydn's letting him come with us. His suit is black so we'll easily be able to tell him from Stark in his red suit.

Also here are people I've never seen before.

"These are my kids Rurik."

He's a tall, red skinned mutant with a tail and a row of horns across his forehead. They're maybe the size of a quarter at the base and come to a point.

"Marina."

Her skin is the color of a deep blue sky and her eyes the color of water. Long black hair parted down the center and braided back on each side. She's got a tail too.

"And some friends: This is Lindy, Cosplay and Mouser."

"She's just a kid."

"I'm 15. My father is a former SEAL. I can kick your ass and teabag you at the same time."

"Teabag?"

"God, you're old. Even Jaydn knows what that is."

"No ones teabagging anyone. Mouser can handle this. If I didn't think she could, she wouldn't be here."

"What can she do?"

"Invisability, flight and physical force fields. Cosplayer is a carbon copy. Lindy and Rurik are both teleporters and Marina is not nicknamed Poseidon for nothing."

"Poseidon?"

"Greek god of the sea. I'm hydrokinetic. Incase you've forgotten, this prison is in the ocean."

"And the game plan is what? This is a really small group."

"We're going to go down and use the prison as our security."

"Yeah, uh, problem there cause unlike you and Marina, I don't breathe in water."

"Viki, skematics please."

"Does Stark know you have this?"

"I hacked Stark when Jarvis went down. Don't ask. Just be happy I did. There's two ways to go about this, but since only two of you can breath in the water without the help of an oxygen tank, we're going for option two. There's a sub parked in the bottom for emergency evac."

"What would option one be?"

"And do we really wanna know?" I add.

"The outer shell is designed to take in water. Valves open here, here, here and here, and in comes a few tons of ocean to help it sink. Jaydn and Marina can easily get in there that way. However, due to the depth, you guys will want to go route two. You're going to be in a baby submarine. Marina is going to go down and up," He points as he explains.

"Remove the sub and in its place you will dock. This is the very base of the prison. No one is there. Ever. I've observed the activity of the place as often as I can."

"How often is that?"

"Five days a week, there about. So I've got a decent base line of activity."

"Battleships will have sonar. They'll see us coming."

"Cue Jaydn and her awesome ability to sing like a whale. She's going to be bigger than you. They'll pay more attention to her than they will you."

When my eyes find her across the table she gives me a bright eyed grin.

"Once we're in, Bug here is gonna buy us some time. We go down to get in and go all the way up to the top. Starks guards are armed with the tech you found aboard the helicarrier."

"Great."

"Yeah. He's been playing with that stuff a little too much."

"What is it?"

"SHEILD was making weapons using technology from Lokis septer."

"Things children should not be playing with."

"Do you know what his septer does?"

"While we are taking control of the prison, Rurik, Kane and Cosplayer will be boarding one of the battleships. I want no survivors and no prisoners."

"Jaydn."

"Steve."

"They're just following orders."

"As were the Nazis and you spared none of them. Aboard those ships are nuclear missles that can be launched as far away as California. Y'know what radiation poisoning is?"

"No."

"It can be a very slow and painful death. Body aches, fatigue, nausea, bloody vomiting and diarrhea, dizziness and disorientation, hair loss. If left untreated, you die. It can be dragged out for days, weeks, and even months."

"And once you've got it, there's no getting rid of it easily. An x-ray has a very small dose of radiation that's very non-lethal. What those ships are carrying is enough to kill billions. Radiation is carried in the wind. It gets in soil and water and even food. It can get passed around like a cold and no one would see it coming. Contaminated lands will make it uninhabitable to people for a century or more, depending on how much the area's contaminated. Granted, a lotta mutants have no problem with radiation, there are some that do and humans are very vulnerable to it. The point of taking the subs is to get their weapons so Eric and I can defuse them."

"And they won't be able to use what they can't find."

"Bingo."

"What do you plan on doing with them?"

"Disarming them and stashing them somewhere. Nuclear was is the option ya'll have if I die."

"That's not gonna happen."

"It's just a contingency plan."

"Think of it as a rubber. I rather have it and not need it, then need it and not have it. Once ya'll are in control of Starks goulag, bring it to the surface and give us a hand with the extermination-"

"Eric."

"Anniliation of the navy. And if you don't like that," Eric is speaking directly to Steve, "then don't come."

Steve looks from him to Jaydn and she's in agreement with him.

"Got it."

"Excellent."

"And you're sure sonar will focus on you and not us?"

"Pretty sure. They'll think my singing is messing with their equipment and nothing more."

"You're a genius."

"I know." She replies sweetly.

"You're a bitch!" Wade barks.

"I know." She replies with the same tone.

"And sometimes I wanna punch your pretty face!"

"Wade,"

"You changed your mind? Great!"

"No. Go out into the city and help them clear buildings." When he opens his mouth to retort, she puts a thumb in his mouth and pulls him down to her level. "And you will pay attention to what you're doing because if shit goes sideways and people die because of you, I'm going to remove your head and not give it back for an entire day. Am I clear?"

"Yesh mamb."

"Thank-you. And listen to Emilie."

"Yeah, yeah. You never put me in charge."

Start acting your age and maybe I- Wade!" She's the only one concerned when he hits the floor.

"Aah! My back! My hip! It hurts!"

"He's messing with you."

"I know." Jaydn growls and bops him on the head. "You asshole. Don't scare me like that."

"Love yoooou." He pokes her cheek. "Now go kick some ass."

Barton and the others are thrilled to be out of a cell. Jaydn refers to all cells as cages. I guess they are. They serve the same purpose.

"So Stark is on the shit list?"

"Yep."

"He getting off any time soon?"

"Nope."

"Tasha?"

"Haven't heard from her but I'm not trusting that ginger at the moment."

Barton sighs. "Can I at least talk to her first before you aim for her head?"

"Yes."

"Anyone think this was too easy?"

"We're not out of the water yet. You got my boom sticks?"

She and Marina are too happy about having sticks of explosives.

"We're going to go give them the Poseidon adventure and turn 'em upside down. Be back shortly."

"Then what?"

"We wait for them to abandon ship." Rurik answers and rattles off to her in another language that is not Russian.

Her responce is in the same language. She and Marina both have a small backpack that clips under their bust.

"Won't they be expecting you?"

"I'm sure they are."

"And we're kinda counting on it."

"Cannonball!" Marina dives off the side and disappears under the waves.

Jaydn followed her lead and swan dives off the side of this ship. It isn't long before we feel the ripple of the explosion and the other two ships are slowly turning on their sides, and then they are belly up and I can see the hole.

"Aren't we going to join in?"

"They've got this."

The ocean waters are becoming rougher. One ship gets pushed into the other and it's like watching a pair of kids beat a couple of toy cars together.

I feel bad for them. I shouldn't, they have weapons that would kill thousands of people- both human and mutant- but they didn't see it coming and they're completely defenseless. I'm just not used to seeing Jo- Jaydn so brutal.

Eric is called over to patch the hull and soon they're floating upright again.

"More repairs will have to be made but this is good for now. Where we docking?"

"Ellis Island."

"You have the island?"

"I have all of New York City."

"Including Stark Tower?"

"Which he is not thrilled about. It's how we got more Loki septer-like weapons. Ever since he found out about them, he's been tinkering." Eric informs us and sweeps up a hat off the floor. "How do I look?"

"Stupid." Marina replies.

"You look stupid."

"You."

"You."

"You and your creepy gills and webbed feet."

"And you look like Tony so ha. I win."

He flicks the hat at her and they play catch with it until Jaydn barks at them to stop.

"Now you're just being disrespectful. Gimme that."

"Disrespectful? I think it's a bit late for that."

"You like America?"

"What?"

"You like it, yes?"

"Yeah."

"It didn't get there without persons that wear uniforms such as these. While they are currently the enemy, it's still disrespectful. Do not mock them." She twirls it around in her fingers and plants it on her head. "It's worn like so. Not like this or like this. It's not a baseball cap and this isn't the hood."

"You look ridiculous."

"I bet." She sets it down on the table. "How's the tech? We working yet?"

"I think so. I hear Lacey broadcasting."

"Who's Lacey?"

"What's that noise?"

"Alarm. We have incoming."

"Wesleys on it."

"Wesley?"

"Human torch."

"This isn't the missle variety." Eric slaps the box and the picture pops back in. "It's more like aircraft."

"Stark?"

"No. Bigger."

"I've got it."

"You sure? We got cannons."

"You are way too happy about that." I tell her when she gasps like an excited kid.

"I haven't been on a ship since Pearl Harbor. And I remember why. Those guns makes my ears feel like they're bleeding. I'll fire up but if you wanna use it, go ahead. Just don't hit me or you best pray I'm dead."

"I'm not gonna hit ya." Eric rolls his eyes. "At least not with something that big."

"I heard that!"

"I know."

This time when she jumps off the ship she ignites and it is as Sam described it : a giant ball of fire. She's just as fast, but more durable. She goes straight through wings, bumps tails and sends them spiraling out of control.

We're docking as she lands on the ship. She came down so fast I thought she was going to miss her landing and crash.

She smiles and waves at me.

"I freaked him out, didn't I?"

Steve laughs. "Is that what I looked like when I saw it the first time?"

"Pretty much."

"Does that hurt?"

"No." She holds out a hand to me. "See? I'm fine."

No broken skin. No burns, nothing is singed.

"It still freaks me out."

"You'll get used to it." Marina tells me. "Should've seen how I reacted to her trying to drown me."

"What!"

"She's amphibinous. That means she breathes under water. You're not the first person I've known to do that. She didn't believe me when I told her to breathe under the water and because she hadn't, her lungs dried out and she sounded like an old hag with black lung. So, I took her out ot he pond and threw her in."

"Jaydn!"

"And I got better."

"Really, ya'll think I'd kill my own kid?"

"Stranger things have happened."

"Unhand the Jaydn!" Wades voice comes over a loud speaker. "No eye-fucking! No holding hands! No-no-no, no-no! Don't make me come over there." He's on shore and barking at us through a megaphone.

"Get over it!"

"Nevah! Unhand the baby-mama! Or I'll shoot you in the wang. I've got perfect position from where I'm standing."

Jaydn rolls her eyes. "Anything happens to his wang, something very bad is going to happen to yours!"

He gasps. "We'll never have pity sex again? No! You wouldn't do that to yourself! And no using her as a sheild!"

"Wade!"

"Scream my name!"

"Didn't I tell you to listen to Emilie!"

"She said, they should be at the dock by now, go clear the area and wait. I cleared the area and I waited. Now come off that ship. I wanna reinact that famous picture of the sailor and a nurse after World War II ended."

"I've seen that one!"

"You're not the only one. And I believe it went a little something like this."

I've still got her hand in mine, so I pull her close and plant one on her.

I hear a ting and find Steves between Wade and us.

"I think you need to back off."

"And I think your friend needs to lose his head."

"Not gonna happen."

"Y'know, I think your roles are reversed."

"What?"

"You and Steve. Now you're the trouble maker." She pecks my lips again before telling me to let her up.

"Children," There's a low growl in her voice. "Consider that payback for earlier. Now you're even so drop it. If this continues to be an issue, I'm gonna assign you to the opposite ends of the state and neither of you are gonna see eachother or me for a very long time. Am I clear?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Wade?"

"Fine. Whatever. But if I find you alone, we are so going to wrestle. And not the sexy-naked-in-oil kind, either."

"What?"

"What?"

"Ma," She hums at Marina. "You have the worst taste in men."

"I do not!"

"Yes you do. They're all a bunch of muscular cave men with raging testosterone. You should just let them beat on eachother for a while, no weapons, and maybe they'll be chill afterwards."

"That actually sounds like a good idea."

"Good? That's the best idea I've heard all day. Bring it on, grandpa. I'll beat that ass so hard you'll think you just got drafted."

The hissing noise she makes reminds me of a pissed off cat. He leaps back and hides behind Steve.

"The beast has awakened. Pet her until she calms down."

"No thanks. I like my hand where it is. What's for dinner? I'm starving."

"Aren't we all. Speaking of, there's some green thumbs working on that as we speak. I'd love some sushi."

"Steak."

"Sushi."

"Steak. And potatoes and carrots."

"SUSHI."

"If you want sushi, go find someone to make it for you. I want cow."

"Good luck finding it. The stores have been looted to hell and back. I'm off to find me sushi."

"I thought he'd never leave." I sling an arm around her shoulders and start walking. "Anyone gonna watch those ships?"

"Eric is. What do you want for dinner? I'll bring you something."

"Steak is fine. Carmalized onions, broccholi in cheese and a six pack would be nice. I called Bug. He's gonna gimme a hand with this."

"Hey," She stops him from boarding the ship and there's that language again. To me it sounds like gibberish but he understands it, and smiles.

"What language is that?"

"One you won't hear spoken off the resveration. You two staying for dinner?"

"If you want us to."

"As if I'd turn down time with my babies."

"We're not babies anymore."

"We're older than your boyfriend."

"And you're still my baby so deal with it."

They both roll their eyes.

"I heard that."

"Sure you did."

"Now that we have time to talk, now would be the time to fill me in on the last decade of your lives."

"Decade?"

"Once they leave the nest we stay in touch, but not as often as you'd think."

"Just how old are you two?"

"900? A 1000? I don't remember anymore."

"Close to a 1000 now, I think. After the first few centuries we don't keep track." Jaydn tells me. "What ever happened between you and that dishy green fella?"

"Uh, mama, don't even go there." Marinas answer makes Jaydn laugh.

"Well, c'mon, don't leave me hanging."

Being here, arm around her shoulders, Steve on the other side of me and her chattering away with them, it almost feels normal.

A/N: I see people are reading but not reviewing. While I'm pleased to see that, I'm not thrilled with the lack of responses. PLEASE leave a comment! I WANT to hear what you think of this. Is there anything anyone would like to see? Do you want this to evolve into a Steve X reader X Bucky? Or do you just want Bucky/OC?


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

 **You Sweet Idiot**

When I wake, I am expecting to be alone. I'm used to it. I'm used to waking up cold and alone and often stripped of clothing. But I'm not. I'm still in the bed I fell asleep in next to Jo- Jaydn. Jaydn. Gotta remember her name is Jaydn now. But she did say I could call her Joan. No. No. It's Jaydn now.

She's laying on her back, braid flipped over the pillow. I just remembered she sleeps with her mouth closed. That's still weird to me. I drool like a Saint Bernard. Even the perfect Captain America sleeps with his mouth open. I remember he used to snore. Does he still snore?

It looks like I've hogged the covers but she doesn't look cold. I gotta say, I like modern bra and panty sets better. I don't remember what they used to look like, but according to Steve, they've changed. So much in fact that they've got billboards for Victoria's Secret underwear. There was nothing like that in the 40s. That much I do remember.

That looks uncomfortable. The fabric looks strained across her chest and- oh no. No. You go down. You go down right the fuck now. This is not happening to me. Stupid dick. Shut up! Fuck you. I'm gonna cuddle up to her anyway. I'll just keep the blanket between us. She won't notice. I just wanna be close to her, damn it.

I inch closer. Is she a light sleeper? I don't remember. I adjust the blanket so some of it is fluffed over her. She doesn't move so I get a little closer. I lay my flesh hand on her stomach and still she doesn't move. God, I feel like a creep. She's asleep! What are you doing?! We're supposed to be friends. Even if I don't wanna be friends. Things aren't the same as they used to be. I'm not the same. She's not the same. I still wonder just how well I knew her.

I get a little closer, lie my head down and it's like a rude wake up call. She wakes up swinging and her palm catches me in the side of my head and she's trying to get away from me.

"Joan stop! Jaydn! J-"

Now we're both on the floor. She got tangled in the bedding and dragged me with her. Her sigh sounds like one of relief.

"Bucky."

God, damn it, go down.

"Ya scared me." When she relaxes her head thumps back against the floor and she's got a sleepy smile on her face.

I chuckle. "I scared you? Ya fell asleep curled up to me, remember?"

"Now I remember. I'm not used to sleeping next to someone."

"That makes two of us. Usually it's me that's freaking out."

"Don't worry about it. I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"Nah. What are you smiling about?"

When she smiles I can see her tongue pushed against her teeth. Both brows raise and she looks down before looking up at me.

Oh god. She knows.

"Ya got a rabbit in your pocket, B?"

"No. I'm just happy to see you." I peck her lips and it's not enough.

When I kiss her again I'm waiting for her to push me away. She doesn't. But then it's all ruined by a knock at the door.

"Everything okay in there? I heard a thump on the floor." It's Emilie. Her daughter that's young enough to pass as her albino sister. "Mama?"

"We're alright."

"You decent?"

"Yeah."

Her head pokes in and she points at us. "No hanky panky. If I can't get my freak on, then neither can you. Also, dad is watching your apartment from the building across the street. The only reason he's not dead is a- he finally went to bed or b- his close proximity to you. Put Jabba back in his hut and wakey-wakey sunshine. We've got loads to do today."

"You are most definately my daughter."

"Someone's gotta keep priorities straight around here. Don't think dad's never informed us all about your six-hour marathon sex. We don't have six hours to waste. You got five minutes to be downstairs or I come get you."

"Yes mom."

The door closes and she rolls us.

"Don't think don't realize what you just did."

Putting herself between the windows and I.

"Wade might be loopy, but he's never deliberately hurt me. I'll survive. You won't. I know you don't like it and it scares you, but it is how it is and I rather you be alive and freaked out than dead. Okay?"

I sigh. "There's no arguing with you there. Now that I've got a part of myself back and you and Steve . . . maybe life can be tolerable."

"The only way to go from here is up. It's a long climb, but you'll get there. Half the battle is really wanting to be there."

"Are you gonna be there? Don't answer that. We're supposed to be friends. I remember that talk and why it's gotta be that way. I just don't like it."

"I know." She fixes my hair so it parts. "I'm sorry."

"You didn't do it."

"I know. It's just things are the way they shouldn't be and I don't like it. I want you to be okay-good, not okay-I guess it's good I'm still alive. I'd just like to," She snaps her fingers, "and you be okay."

"I'm okay. I'm actually better than okay. I had no nightmares and I woke up next to you. That's a damn good step from the last time I woke up."

Alone and in the dark and covered in sweat.

"You're still such a sweet talker."

"Nah. It's the truth. Now gimme another kiss."

"Bucky."

I peck her lips, once, twice, and when she moves her head I get her cheek but I can see she's smiling.

"Behave yourself."

"I recall you like it when I misbehaved."

"Ssh! Your mouth. Emilie can hear that."

I can hear knocking on the floor and Emilie yelling.

"No more canoodling! Get up before dad gets over here! Brother just went to go wake his ass up!"

I groan and spring another kiss on her before rolling away.

"You cheeky monkey."

"Ooh-ooh, ah-ah."

"No, it's," She screeches and chatters like a monkey before throwing the pillow at me.

"Whatever you say, beast girl. Put some clothes on or I'm gonna need some alone time before we go."

"You do what you gotta do. You brush it off too long and you're gonna cause yourself pain."

"You could always do it for me?"

"James Barnes! You shut your mouth!" Followed by more banging on the floor.

She steps into her uniform and suits up. I get dressed and we go downstairs. Steve is awake and having himself a cup of coffee and is nibbling on some kinda bread thing with jelly on it.

Jaydn gasps. "Raspberry danish. Sugary goodness in mah veins."

She takes what's left of it, rips off a piece and manages to stuff it in her cheeks. She offers the last bit to me.

"You can have it."

She shakes her head no and insists.

"She's sharing food with you. Take it." Steve is reading something on a plex. "It's a feral thing."

"Feral thing? Like that scenting thing?"

"Yes. When ferals share their food with you it means they like you. You won't have to be concerned until they bring you something dead."

"Steve!"

"What? You did bring me a rabbit."

She rolls her eyes, one cheek still full of pastry. "We were camping. You white people don't know how to hunt to save your life. Next time I'll let ya starve."

"Don't talk while you have gerbil cheeks. You're drooling."

"Ssshu." She messes up his hair and leans over to look at what he's reading.

"Weather, Steve? Really?"

"Jaydn can manipulate the elements. A hurricane is just water and strong winds. And Emilie has shown me some terrifying footage of Jaydn riding around in a hurricane like the wicked witch of the west." He's smirking when he says it.

"I'm from the east." She teases. "I'd be able to take that all the way to Texas."

"What is it?"

"Weather readings from satellites in space. They give us a heads up on incoming disasters. You could even take that right up the coast. There's a naval station there."

"I rather cause chaos across this way. While they're scrambling, mutants will have better opportunity to leave. There's others that don't wanna move their ass out of the cities."

"It's home."

"Home is where you make it. It's people, not a place. You can always go back later. Thanks peanut." She accepts the coffee Emilie made for her.

"Peanut?"

"Must you call me that?"

"You're my peanut. It's all I craved with you."

"And ironically, I don't like peanuts."

"You eat?"

"Yes."

"You sleep?"

"Yes."

"And your brothers?"

"Slept, fed and currently on the perimiter."

"Any issues?"

"Hostile humans. Nothing that couldn't be handled. Birdy said Stark will be here in a day or two."

"Oh joy. Anything else?"

"Nope. She says you'll handle it."

"The schools alright?"

"Yes. I checked with the O.S. this morning."

"O.S.?"

"Organic sentinel. Remember Tank? He's the sentinel. The A.I. is computer sentinel, but those can be hijacked. While it's not likely, the O.S. is preferred."

"Jaydn?"

"Yes, Jeff?"

"There's some people here to see you. A big fat fuck, an old fuck, a nigger that thinks he's a cowboy."

"John's not a nigger and if I hear that talk outta you again, I will make you eat soap. Am I clear?"

"Yes."

"FYI, your grandfather's two-thirds spic. Suck on that and get out."

"Neo-nazi bastard. Why do you keep him around?"

"He gets shit done. I like that."

"You know who he's talking about?"

"Oh yeah. Remember my Team X days?"

"No! You said they were all dead."

"Did I? Oops. Alzhimers."

She polishes off the coffee and heads out the door.

"Ya'll might want to come meet them. If they're here, I doubt it's to sit on the sidelines."

"I do get tired of sitting on the bench, y'know. Besides, I've seen too much shit to not get in this. Hey, mohawk."

Complete with leather jacket and cowboy boots. That's not a fashion I see a lotta dark skinned guys in this city. She hugs him and the other guy. He's gotta be pushing 70 and is as out of shape as the other guy.

"Dukes, my god."

"Yeah, ah know."

"He done ate his emotions. I tried tellin' him that wouldn't do him any good, but you know Fred. He don't listen to anybody."

"I remember when this broad was thinner than me."

"You and Logan are just a couple of jokers, aren't ya? C'mere," He picks her up with one arm as if she weighs nothing and they have a friendly peck on the lips.

"Oh hey now, if you're giving out kisses, I want one."

"Who are you? What have you done with the guy I remember?"

"He got sassy as he got older."

"And I think your nose got bigger. Meep."

"Victor's not with you?"

"Not yet. He's on his way with Astrid and the babies. They're coming up before hurricane me hits the south. Are ya'll okay doing this?"

"Wouldn't be here if we wasn't."

"I know. But you also never could tell me no. I mean it. If you're not in, you can take a post here. The safe zone could always use another on guard or you can train the noobs."

"We're in."

"Besides, where you gonna find another technopath as good as me? Nowhere."

"Bolt's got bite now. Who are they?"

"This is Steve and Bucky. They're latest addition to my wee brain trust."

They don't trust us. I can see it in their faces.

"You sure about them?"

"You might know me as Captain America."

"Steve."

"What? Chances are the whole world knows my secrets. They already know Buckys. It's only a matter of time before everyone knows the Joe behind the mask."

"Steve, you've never been a Joe. Anyone to say otherwise, clearly didn't know you well at all."

"How happy you think he's gonna be?"

"When was Victor ever happy?"

"Where's Wade? That idiot still alive?"

"Why, yes! Yes I am! And look at you! You're a big ol' bear now!" Wade hugs Fred from the side. "You're so fat. Who's a fat kitty? Tickle-tickle-tickle."

"Wade." He is not the least bit amused.

"Yes Freddy Bear?"

"Get away from me."

"But why? We haven't seen eachother in what? 20-years?"

"More like 30. And it's still too soon." John retorts.

Wade gasps and continues to squish Freds soft parts.

"Wade. Don't do that."

"Does he still heal?"

"Yes I do! But I'm still also ugly as f-"

Fred grabs him by the face and squeezes until Wade squeeks.

"Ow! Freddy, man you're crushing my face!"

"That's the point."

"Ow! Oooh, ow! Jaydn, help me." His voice gets higher on the help me.

"I told you not to. And you shouldn't abuse him just because he'll heal from it."

"He bugged me."

"And you're fracturing his skull. I hardly see that as a fair punishment. Just punch him in the face."

"Gladly!"

Thump! Wade falls on his ass.

"Ow! My face! My pride! My Jaydn, how could you betray me?"

"You all worked as a team before?"

"Yes."

"And Freddy was about 300 pounds lighter." Wade comments.

"Sit on him. That should shut him up."

"Sorry Freddy, but you're not exactly my type. I prefer 'em muscular like those two. And with a sense of humor. Hey, y'think if HYDRA clones you again they'll make a guy version of you?"

Jaydn shrugs. "That'd be weird and awkward to say the least."

"Well if they manage to make a clone that's sound of mind, I call dibs on making friends with her."

"No, Wade. No one's wearing my face but me."

"Aw. But you and Lefty are getting all cozy."

"Don't go there. Right now we're going to have practice. We're going to make a half circle around the perimiter and if we find nothing, we will go out farther and farther until we do or until the sun begins to set. Then we're gonna make camp and do the same thing tomorrow."

"That's practice?"

"Yep. Live action practice. It's the best and it preps us for taking on bigger groups of hostiles."

"Hooray! Just like old times! Does this mean we'll be having sex in the tent while Victor sulks in the woods and they spank themselves?"

Her expression alone deflates Wades excitement.

"Oh, right. We shall not mention the pity sex or our history in front of Bucky dearest."

"Don't be a dick, Wade. You didn't like it when Victor talked about us, what makes you think him or anyone else wants to hear about it?"

"And why is it always sex with you?" Steve snaps.

"Because I'm not getting nearly enough! Even you, Sir-Prudes-A-Lot is probably getting laid more than I am! And because that shit makes me HAPPY. Everyone else can suck it. Including you. You used to l-"

She doens't slap him. She punches him. In the face. His head whips back and forth.

"Ow. Okay. I had that one coming. But it's- ah!" She punches him again.

"Keep it up and you'll be staying here on guard duty."

"Y'know what? I fucking will stay here. Ya already replaced me with that! Granted the arm is cool and he's a handsome devil, but we all know I'm the best."

"Whatever, Wade."

"No ones replacing anyone! You're being childish."

"When is he not?"

"Ya did too!"

"You really wanna get into this? Right here, right now?"

"Why not? Everyone already knows our fucking business! Or lack there of!"

"Happy reunion everyone. I'm gonna go take a nap."

"You do that grandpa."

"Blow me."

"Blow yourself UP with an explosive so high the only thing left are your shoes. And you can take her with you."

"Cry baby."

"You let her step on your feels and see how you feel. Oh right, the Winter Soldier has no feelings."

"Now you're way outta line."

"Now I know you're definately his lover. I can insult her and you do nothing but gimme that dad look, but I insult him and you're on me like flies on shit."

"Jaydn's a big girl. She handled you just fine or do you need her to punch you in the face again to prove it?"

Jaydn's hissing causes Fred and John and Steve to immediately take a couple steps back.

"That is enough! You will be staying here! And for every comment like the ones you've made today, you will be assigned to posts far far away!"

Wade responds by just screaming at her. And she does it right back. So he does it again. When she does it it's even higher pitched than before. This time he takes off his glove and slaps her with it.

I punch him and regret it. He's got a head like a rock. Steve grabs her before she can get inbetween us. Good. I've been wanting to shut his mouth with my fist since we met.

It ends when I get stabbed and they've finally gotten us pried apart.

"How's that feel? That's your liver!"

"Oh, Bucky, you idiot."

"Sorry, dollface. He pissed me off. Just stitch me-ow. Ow!"

"Meow?"

"Less sass, more stitching."

"It's your liver, you idiot. He was aiming to kill you. Someone find me a-"

"Ma."

"Thanks."

She pops the case open, takes out the syringe and begins feeling around on her neck.

"What are you doing? Jaydn, what are you doing?"

"Fixing you, ya idiot." Out comes a little blood and then something darker. "Healing in a bottle. He hit your liver. You outta know what that means. This is gonna hurt. A lot."

So much that I black out.

I wake up in the room I woke up in this morning. Now it's night time. There's a note pinned to my metal arm.

Hey you idiot, I'm with my boards if you need me.

She didn't leave for "practice?" I go downstairs and find her with Victor in the living room. Their backs are to me and they're looking at a map on the screen. To me it all looks like woods. Just woods, woods, more woods. Even with it enhanced.

"I thought you'd be leaving for practice?"

"They didn't get here till about an hour ago. They got hung up in Virginia. Victor, meet Bucky."

"We've met."

"No. You met Winter Soldier."

"You met him when?"

"World War II. Don't stare at him like that. HYDRA mind fucked him. I thought he was dead. Everyone did."

"He a threat to us?"

"If he was, you think he'd be here?"

"Yes. Because you're an idiot."

"Bite me."

He leans down and nips her shoulder. Her hand goes up and lightly swats him. I don't like how at ease she is about him biting her. Steve told me that in feral language it's a great sign of affection and or dominance.

"I didn't mean literally."

"Wow, this isn't awkward at all."

Jaydn relaxes with a sigh and her shoulders slump. "I didn't have to say it."

Victor leans towards me, shinking down a few inches so we're eye to eye.

"Let me make one thing clear: you are temporary. I'm going to out-live you and I can wait until you're dead."

"Why not just kill me?"

He doesn't answer. He just smiles.

"And you're going to be around our grandkids. Hurt any of them, I'll kill you."

When he passes Jaydn he nudges her lightly, so very lightly and considering his size I didn't think it was possible.

"I don't like the way he looks at you."

By the way she sighs I can guess what she's thinking.

"I'll find a way to deal with it. For now. Eventually I might rip his head off and mount it on the wall."

She smiles, shaking her head. "Behave. I don't want anyones head on the wall. Did you sleep okay?"

"Would've been better waking up to you, but I had no nightmares so," I shrug. "What's this?"

"The satellite Bug hi-jacked is showing me humans latest movement."

"And?"

"And," She draws the word out and smiles. "They have no weapons."

"What?"

"That wearhouse they're going to for supplies, I kinda, sorta . . . raided it. It's empty." Followed by giggling. "Look at them hauling ass to get to nothing."

I throw my flesh arm around her and squeeze. "You're terrible."

"I know."

"But at least you're cute. It balances things out."

Her arm wraps around my waist and we watch the live feed.

"What was in there?"

"MREs, guns, explosives, a bit of everything. With us being this close, I had a group raid it first chance they got and the only thing left in there is a bomb. It's set to go boom when they reach the armory in the basement. The same group that raided it is set to move in and take out what's left of them."

"Did you give Steve his team?"

"Yes. It consists of him, Barton, Wanda and Pietro-"

"Pietro? I thought he was dead."

She smirks, "Not quite. He just had a long recovery. I didn't want to tell her until I knew for sure he was outta the woods. Them and Sam, and you, if you want to."

"He hasn't brought it up to me."

"He might just be assuming you're with him since you were with us when we broke in to Starks prison. If you don't want to, don't. I get it."

"You need me."

"I need soldiers. I know you were drafted. You only told us you volenteered." I wince. "Yeah. I found out about that. Steve still doesn't know. And be that as it may, what I also need is for you to be okay. Bouncing from one war to another isn't a good idea. Victor did that and I think that is one reason why he is how he is today. I don't want you turning into that."

"I won't."

"You don't know that. Victor didn't even notice the change in him until it was already done and I doubt he remembers before. I'm serious, Bucky. If you don't want to be out there with Steve, I'm okay with that. If you want to train the noobs, I'm okay with that. If you want to keep the perimiter or have nothing to do with it, I'm okay with that."

"These people are the same people that want me dead and they want you dead. I'm not okay with that and if that means going back into the field, then I'll learn to deal with it. Steves adament he's with me until the end and . . . I like to think you are too."

"Yep. You're stuck with me until you die."

"I know you're trying to be funny but I find that comforting."

I wrap my arms around her shoulders and hold her close.

"What I'm not okay with is you being in the field. I know you've got experience and super fast healing powers, but I don't like it. You don't belong out there with the ugly."

"I'm a big girl, B. There's nothing out there that I haven't seen before. I bet I've still seen a few things that you haven't."

"I doubt that so I'll just take your word for it. Now gimme a kiss."

"Gimme?"

"May I?"

"I'm not s-" She stops, "Y'know what? Fuck it."

Our kissing is interrupted by clapping and whistling.

"Get lost!"

They act like a bunch of kids teasing us as if they caught us kissing for the very first time.

"Give her some tongue!" Pietro sticks his tongue out and wiggles it in the most perverse manner. "They won't admit it but the ladies like a little tongue action."

"And it's about time Bucky got him some. I bet that would mellow his ass right out." Sam comments. "Be safe kids, use a rubber."

"That's it. You're all gonna die."

"Retreat!"

I chuckle as they all scramble to clear the doorway.

"But seriously." Pietro pops his head back in and does the same motion with his tongue.

"Kid might have a good idea."

"James Barnes, you are proving to be a distraction. You can get out too."

"Aw, c'mon. All work and no play's no way to live."

"You just want in my pants."

I can feel myself blushing.

"Well, it has been 70 years."

"So go spank it to the sweet sweet memories you've got. Oh, that's right. You don't got any."

"Victor Creed."

He just smiles and offers her one of the plates. It's full of sliced meats and cheeses, olives, and crackers and some weird looking things I think are some kinda pepper.

"Oh, I've got some memories of us. One of which involved her, me, and-"

"If you're going to compare dicks, do it or shut up. If someone breaks my confidentiality of the bedroom, I'm-a put a foot in your ass. Thank-you." She snatches the plate. "Now both of you get out."

"Yes ma'am." I kiss her cheek. "Y'know where Steve is?"

"Probably grabbing lunch. I warned him if I hear he's skipping meals, my foot-"

"In his ass. I'm beginning to think you're anally fixated."

She smirks, "Guys be very sensative about that part of their body and a foot up anyones ass gets a point across a lot faster."

"See you for dinner?"

"Maybe. I might be going out into the field."

Okay. I can do with a maybe.

"Not without me you're not."

"Don't make me tie you to a bed."

"Only if you're going to have your wicked way with me."

"Take your sassy ass to lunch."

"Yeah, yeah. I'm going."

As soon as the door closes, Victor chuckles. It's the trouble kind.

"Ya really think she's into you, don't ya?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

He flicks a tiny piece of fat off his claw.

"It means, do you know who she's been doing what with since you became HYDRAS bitch? You think Wade's the only one? Stark? And Charlie boy?"

"I don't care to know. She thought I was dead. That's a legitimate reason to move on with life."

"Steve Rogers."

That makes me stop and I can feel my heart beating faster. It's like a bucket of ice water just got dumped on me.

"You heard me. Steve Rogers. They got friendly when he came outta the ice. I hear Peggy wasn't even cold when they jumped eachother."

"You're lying."

"Now why would I do that?"

"Because you know I have a better chance with her than you do."

"Do I really?" He flicks my metal arm and his claw makes a sharp tink sound. "Serum or not, you're still human. You're gonna die some day. Maybe even sooner than you think. I'm always gonna be around. Like I said, I can wait till you buy the farm. She'll be all weepy and be looking for someone to cling to. It's how she is." He pops a piece of cheese in his mouth.

"I've been through hell and back but you're even more fucked up in the head than I am. Wouldn't want to taint her, now do we, Winter?"

What if he's right? I am tainted. I'm damaged goods. Mentally and physically, I'm all kinds of fucked up. I could kill her and not realize it until I'm lucid again. I couldn't live with myself.

"You're no better for her than I am. Y'know why she ran away from you when she became pregnant with Astrid. She didn't trust you."

Suck on that, ya asshole.

"Tell me something I don't know."

Just fuck off and die!

"Ya might wanna have a chat with your buddy boy. Pietro too. Ask Barton who taught him archery and while you're at it," His voice is getting louder so I can hear him as I'm walking away. "Ask Thor who Ulva is! Cause she's paid hommage to that fertility gods temple!"

What?


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6  
Fight**

She's been gone for two weeks now. I've decided to take a post on the perimeter and train the noobs while I'm not on guard duty. Noobs. Sounds like boobs.

What is she doing? Where is she? No one will fucking tell me anything! The only thing I do know is Victor is with her. And Wade. And their old team that consists of three other men that I've only met once.

I would've gone with Steve and his group, but I couldn't. I still can't shake what Victor said to me about her being with all those other guys. Victor, I can get. It was 150-years BEFORE I was even born. Wade, Stark, and the others, she did think I was dead.

But Steve? That's just . . . I don't want to believe it but I remember how things changed for him after the serum. Women noticed him. Women looked at him and talked to him and I became third wheel.

Thor? God-status, ladies and men both adore him, or so Steve tells me. Pietro, ladies man as proclaimed by everyone, including his sister.

I used to be a ladies man. Or so I've been told by Steve. I don't recall it. And Victor- that feral mutant will be around as long as she is- what if I really have no chance with her?

"Incoming missiles!"

I push the drama out of my mind and take action. They've so got another thing coming. She put me in charge of keeping the city safe and that's exactly what I'm gonna do.

"Whoa! Relax there, pal. You're in the infirmary."

I sigh at the sound of Steve's voice and relax a little, and lay back in the bed.

"What happened?"

"You went all Winter Soldier out there, man."

"Shit."

"It's alright. You didn't do much harm to anyone but the enemy. They tried storming us and lost. How you feeling?"

"Sore."

"You might be. You've been outta it for about 18 hours. A chunk of something, probably from a falling building, clocked you right in the head. CT scans show . . . a lotta things. But without a basis of comparison,"

"What's that mean? A lotta things?"

"The conditioning from HYDRA can be seen in a CT scan. The minds a curious thing. I wouldn't worry about it. There seems to be no lasting damage and you are lucid. I've been having you scanned every hour to watch for bleeds and what not in your brain."

"Who are you?"

"We have not met before. I'm Dr. Hicks. My area is neurobiology and surgery."

"Neurobiology?"

"The brain. What it does, where it is, and how to fix it. So far, you're looking good. I'd just like to keep you here for a full 24 hours for observation."

"Yeah. Whatever. When did you get back?"

"We were already in the air when they attacked the city and were landing when they began to retreat."

"Jaydn?"

"Still out there somewheres. She doesn't discuss where she goes with anyone but her team."

"Have you at least heard from her?"

He shakes his head no. "And it's been over a week. I'm starting to get worried. She tells me I don't have to worry, but I still do, y'know? It's what friends do."

"Friends," I didn't mean it to come out like it has. "I was told you two are more than that."

"Who told you that?"

"Victor."

"Victor's a jerk looking to drive a wedge between her and everyone around her."

"But you're not denying it either."

Steve sighs. I think he's irritated. Is he irritated?

"It wasn't serious. It wasn't anything but physical. Peggy . . . died." He's still upset by it. I can see it in his eyes. "Jaydn was the only person that really understood my predicament, being in an era I don't belong in. Tony suggested I find myself a friend with benefits, as they call casual sex these days. Jaydn was the only woman I knew and you were dead."

"There's over a billion women on the planet and you still had to go for my girl? It doesn't matter if you think I'm dead! There's a fucking line, Steve and you crossed it! You weren't even going ot tell me, were you?"

"We both agreed that because you have feelings from the 40s, that bringing it up would upset you and it has. You gotta understand,"

"Understand what? That cause you two thought I was dead that it was okay to get together? She's my girl!"

"Was. She was your girl. This isn't the 40s anymore. And this, right here, is why we decided it was best not to mention it. Jaydn's not yours. She's not anyone's."

"Get out."

"Bucky,"

"I want to be alone. Get out!"

He sighs. "I know it hurts and I'm sorry. You gotta remember we thought you were dead. I know I crossed a line, but we never did anything behind your back. Neither of us would do that to you."

"I thought I told you to get out."

"I'll be at the perimeter if you wanna talk."

Right now I'd like to punch your lights out. But I don't tell him that. I just watch him leave.

I can't believe this. My girl and my best friend? How will I ever trust them to be alone together? Steve doesn't do casual. I don't know what Jaydn does. Obviously, I don't know either of them as well as I thought.

Jaydn's back. It's been a month she's been out there alone with her unit. When I heard she was due back, I made sure I got a post on the main entry. Two of them are packed into a humvee and a truck.

As soon as she's got feet on the ground, her family is there to tackle her. Astrid, Victors daughter, is here. Her mate's an alright guy. Astrid and Jack have 5 kids, three girls and two boys.

One girl was born mortal. She's dead now. The second girl is human too. She's in her 60s and looks like she could be Astrid's grandma. She also has Alzheimers and is living life with her husband and an aid up in Maine.

The third, a boy, is Jasper. He is a little feral with black claws and golden blond hair. He and Jaydn's adopted feral son, Alex, are inseparable. The fifth is another girl, April, she's feral, has blond hair and golden claws, and is three years younger than Jasper; she's ten.

The last is a baby boy, feral, and his claws are neither black or golden, but an unusual shade of navy blue. He's got the deepest blue eyes I've ever seen. They're so dark they're almost black.

Jack grabs one side, Alex another, and April goes right up the center and it takes all three of them to take her down.

"Babies! Grandbabies!" She grabs the closest one that happens to be Jasper, and kisses his cheeks.

They pile over one another, rolling, and hugging and I'll admit that the growling is a bit odd, but it's still a sight to see.

"You brought a deer! Lets eat it!"

"You're the only kid I know that would be thrilled to have deer for dinner. Lets take it over to Big Petes and string it up in the backyard."

"I'll drive!"

"Like hell you will! Move that little butt over before I sit on you!"

"Hey Brandon, I'm gonna take my break now."

I find them in Big Petes tiny yard. It's just big enough for a picnic table and a firepit. The deer's been pulled up by rope across the pole for the clothes line, and she's showing them how to gut it.

"Hey Buck."

Big Pete lives up to the name. He's a massive guy, as tall as he is wide and his passions in life is food and Bridget, his short and round wife.

"Heres some pots and pans. I know you like to cook pretty much everything."

"You got a bowl with a lid? Half of this can be made into jerky."

"Yeah, I'm sure I can find one."

The fur has been removed and when they're spreading it out across the picnic table, she notices me.

"Hey Bucky."

I don't say anything. I'm still pissed. Turns out, Creed was right. She hasn't just been with Steve, but she's been with Pietro too. Wade was more than informative on the subject of who Jaydn does, did and when. I can't trust her.

"You okay?"

Her concern for me is genuine and it makes it harder to continue being mad at her. She thought I was dead. She's over a thousand years old. Life for her went on. But then there's still the fact she didn't tell me. Why?

"Can we talk later?"

"No! You can't talk later! I'm stealing my memaw!"

"April,"

She just grins as if she's the cutest thing in the world.

"It's not nice not to share. He'll be having dinner with us. You're just gonna have to deal with it." When Jaydn taps her on the nose, she leaves behind a blood red finger print.

I watch her with them and it gets me thinking about the what ifs. What if I had left behind a kid with her? We got it on like rabbits every chance we got. It also makes me think about her other kids. There's so many it's still unbelievable to me one person had so many. She's a good mother. I can see it when she's with kids.

It even makes me wonder how- if- we had kids, how they would've turned out. Dark hair, obviously, we both have it. But would they have her eyes? My paler complexion? Her cheekbones and my jaw?

"What do you think you're doing?" Jaydn asks slowly, deliberately as Big Pete puts a slab in a tin foil lined pan with carrots and potatoes in it.

"Making a roast."

Her hiss makes him jump. "This is venison. Not white man beef rump roast." She makes a shooing motion with her hand.

"Oh, that's racist."

"And painfully true. Y'know how many guys I've known to try and roast venison like beef? It's not the same. It's just not."

"Did you just eat raw meat? Ew, girl. You're gonna make yourself sick."

As if on cue, each of them pop a piece in their mouth.

"Okay, you win. Do it your way, just stop eating raw meat. That's so nasty."

"Your face!" April flicks a piece of fat off her claws just like Victor does.

"That's not nice."

"He's so fat."

"That's not nice either."

"What's it got to do with being nice if it's the truth? It's bad for you. Mr. Mariano died of a heart attack and he was fat. is always complaining her knees hurt and mama says it's cause she's fat. If it hurts, why aren't you on a diet?"

"Because there are people with glandular problems, sometimes the medicine they take causes them to gain weight, and sometimes people eat their emotions."

"How do you eat emotions?"

"You'll get it when you're about five years older."

Corn, squash, potatoes, beans, and things they don't like like broccoli, cauliflower and brussel sprouts are all grown by Jaydn and harvested by the kids.

"Oh good, you're back!"

"What?"

"Were you asleep just now?"

"Almost. What you need?"

"More veggies. All the trees in town have been turned into fruit bearing trees, but there's a shortage of veggies again.I figured since you're back, you could give us a hand? But I see you're tired. I'm sure we'll live to tomorrow so it can wait."

Jaydn stares at her. "I don't recognize you."

"I'm Rachel, I'm one of Sprouts students from UC 9."

"Where's that?" I ask.

"Texas. When the shit hit the fan, there's a lotta us that just up and left. We figured it was safer up here than down there. Especially since you're here. They're deathly afraid of you, y'know."

"I know." When she grins she looks drunk, but really she's just tired. "How long have you been here?"

"About a week? Sprouts told us we had just missed you."

"Tell him I says hi, and ya'll can bring some crates tomorrow morning. Did you just squeal?"

"I'm kinda a fangirl. I saw what you did to the forest in California and I was just," Her jaw drops. "All the way to the floor. Shrubs, I can do. Trees I can do, but it's a little at a time. Yours was like 20-years of growth in fast forward."

"You're what? 18? You're still young but you'll get there."

"Any tips?"

"Practice, practice, more practice, rage practice, have someone blurt out random stuff and time how fast you can do it, and happy practice."

"What's the difference?"

"When you're pissed, practice. When you're happy, practice. Do it when you're depressed, anxious and all the other emotions and with it you'll find ways to make yourself work under stress."

"Now shoo. This is a family dinner."

"Jasper."

"She's not family."

Rachel just smiles. "Aren't you a charmer?"

"Just like my papa."

"That he is."

"I said papa. Victor. Not my dad."

"Oh! Eh. He scares me. I'll see ya'll later."

"You can go to sleep if you want. You look so tired."

"And miss dinner with you guys? Never. C'mere, I squish you." She grabs April and squeezes her. "And use you as a pillow. You gonna sit down and eat with us or stand there on guard duty?"

"Not next to her. I'm sitting there."

"No you're not. I am." Jasper weasels right in between Victor and her and steals the seat, but barely.

Victor gets stuck sitting on the other side of April and on Jaydn's left. The boys are on her right. I sit across from her.

"Are mom and dad not eating with us?"

"Not today."

"Are you gonna tell us where you've been?"

"Busy."

"C'mon, nana, we're not kids."

"Yes you are."

"I'm 13. That's a man in a lotta cultures."

"Not ours but nice try though."

"Mom said you were my age when your first war came around."

Jaydn does not like that. I don't know if it's because he's got a very valid point or the fact that he knows and is using it against her.

"Our circumstances are incredibly different. Your beginning is different than what I had."

"Why?"

"Because my parents were human."

"Oh."

"And they didn't like you?"

"Majority didn't. And it's a sour topic of conversation for the dinner table."

"Will you still tell us where you've been the past week?"

"We demolished an army barracks."

"Victor."

"What? Don't baby them."

"They're 13, 14, and 10. That's not age appropriate conversation and this isn't 1863 anymore. The only children soldiers around are overseas and that is not going to come here."

"You're right it's not 1863. You and I would be having more fun than slaughtering the enemy."

"I'm-a stab you with a fork."

"Bring it on."

"Don't ruin my dinner."

It's tense. I think it's tense. Or is it just me? I can't tell.

"It's early bedtime for me. Go bug Victor."

"Go bug someone else. You're not the only one that's tired. Where we sleeping?"

"I'm sleeping with Bucky. I don't know where you're sleeping."

I can't help the smug satisfaction I get from the look on his face when she links arms with me. I know the mood is going to come to a grinding halt when we start talking, so I enjoy it while I can.

"Are you and Steve not okay?"

We must be out of Victors hearing range for her to start talking. I don't know what his hearing range is so I was just going to wait until we were in the apartment.

"No. We're not. Victor told me something and stupid me went digging."

"Okay. Are you gonna elaborate or do I play the guessing game here?"

"You slept with Steve."

"I did."

"And you two decided not to tell me cause I'm a fragile fucking flower, aren't I?"

"And you don't realize it."

"You're not even going to apologize!"

"For what! You were dead! It's not like we broke up or got seperated! You DIED. What do you want me to do? I'm 2-thousand years old! You want me to spent the next 2-thousand years with a bug up my ass cause YOU would be mad if I found someone?"

"That someone didn't have to be my best friend!"

"It was sex. That's it. Casual humping. It-"

I don't know what comes over me to grab her by the neck. Her reaction is immediate and before I can even take my hands off her, she's removed them. She must still be on edge from being out there. Her arms sweep to remove my hands and now she's got me by the hair and the claws are out.

Usually it's me snapping at people like this. Both her hands yank away from me as if I was on fire.

"I'm sorry."

I've never seen this expression on her.

"It's okay. I know you didn't mean it. I shouldn't have grabbed you like that."

She's so shocked about it she isn't moving.

"I'm sorry." She rubs her forehead. "It was physical Bucky. That's all. And if you want to get on my case about Steve, what about Natasha?"

I huff through my nose. "That wasn't me. It was the other guy."

"You don't get to condemn yourself for murder under the influence and not fucking some ginger. It doesn't work that way."

Her arms cross. "And don't think I didn't count the girls you were humping while trying to get with me back in the day."

"That was a lifetime ago. This was last year and Tasha was last decade."

"So there's a statue of limitations on adultery? Since when?"

"I thought you were a figment of my imagination when I was with Tasha."

"Wow, way to make a girl feel better."

"Not like that! I don't remember, alright!"

"No. Not alright. You opened the can of worms. I didn't do double standards in the 40s and I don't do them now. I get it, you didn't remember shit during your time with Tasha, point according to the great Barnes, I still did it." She pokes me in the chest. "Amnesia is a legit excuse. Death is a legit excuse. Tasha's told me all about your time together, how short it was, and how it was mostly humping because it made you both feel alive.

"Steve was pulled outta that ice and dropped into a time he didn't understand and had no one. The one person he did have besides me, had Alzheimer's and didn't always remember who the hell he was. You think that doesn't cause him pain? You think he didn't feel guilty about being with me?"

"Did you?"

"70 years is a lifetime. You were dead. You can't hurt someone if they're dead."

"So that's a no."

Her jaw clenches. "Dotty. Sarah. Bridget. Those names ring any bells? Because you were alive and sound of mind then, and if you want more details, please do continue shoving it in my face that I slept with Steve. You wanted to feel alive and you and Tasha humped like rabbits, but when Steve and I do the same and I'm the whore? That's not fair, James."

The elevator finally comes to a halt.

"I'm going to bed and I'm sleeping alone. You wanna sleep somewhere, why don't you go find Tasha? Wherever the hell that two-faced bitch has been hiding since it's not with us and it's not with Stark."

"I don't want Tasha! I want you and you're putting me in the friendzone! I'm not insane damn it! And I'm not some fragile fucking flower that can't tell the difference between 1945 and now!"

"Go cool off somewhere. I'm going to sleep."

"Jaydn," I growl and stick my foot in the door. "We are not going to drop this now."

"Oh yes we are. You need to take a step back and I need sleep, or we're both going to do something we regret. Now move your foot before I break it off."

"This is not over."

"Naw, really?!" I hear from the other side of the door.

"Always gotta have the last word, don't ya!"

"Yep! Word! Now shut up! I can't sleep with you talking to me!"

I beat my fist against the door just to irritate her some more. I continue the knocking all the way down the wall and the neighbor standing in her doorway is staring at me.

"Lady troubles?"

"Yeah."

"Good luck with that one. I hear Jaydn's a crazy bitch."

Nah. Complicated, wild, a pain in the ass, but I don't think I'd go as far as crazy bitch.

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reads. Please review! Do you think Bucky is OOC? Do you want to see it from someone else's POV? Double thanks to those that have reviewed!


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

 **Maybe**

"Where are you, James?"

"Here. I'm here."

"No you're not. You're here physically but I know when you're not. You remembering anything? From before?"

"Yeah."

"You wanna talk about it?"

He sighs and rolls away from her, one hand going up behind his head and his eyes look at nothing on the ceiling.

"I think . . . I was married."

"Married?"

"Or goin' steady. I'm not sure. I just remember someone and I don't know why I feel like . . . like being here with you is wrong."

"James, you've been away for decades. Chances are she's moved on or dead by now."

"I know. But I can't help how I feel. I dream about her sometimes and I just feel so," He sighs. "I do enjoy us, Natalia, but with her it feels different. I feel so guilty."

"It's okay, James."

"No it's not! It's not okay! It'e never okay! It's less and less okay every day they let me out! It's not fair! I can't keep doing this! I can't and I don't want to but if I don't then they'll- they'll- you know what they'll do to me."

"I know. I know. My training here is coming to en end. I've graduated. It's been four years. They never let anyone stay longer than that. I'll be leaving soon."

The sun coming in through the windows interrupts my sleep. When I try to move, I realize that Jaydn is next to me. Now I remember last night. I went back out on patrol, came back, had a shower, and climbed into bed with her. She had barely glanced at me before allowing me to spoon her from behind and that's how I fell asleep. Now she's laying on my left side, arms around my metal arm like it's a pillow to hug.

"Jaydn, baby."

"Hmph."

"You're drooling."

She just growls at me and closes her mouth.

"As much as I'd like to stay put, I gotta take a leak."

When I'm done I scrub up and wash my face. She hasn't moved. Her feet are off the bed and the cover covers her from the ass down to her knees. What a sight. I get why Steve would go for her. We both like strong, dark haired dames.

"I can feel you staring."

"Just admiring the view."

I lay on my side and prop up on my elbow. "You still mad at me?"

"I dunno. You still gonna be a double-standardizing dick head?"

"I just don't like it. I don't like the idea of you bein' with anyone else." I lay my flesh hand on her back and like always, she's so warm to the touch. "And I know you don't like my history. I don't even remember that Sarah or the other girl. The only thing about Dottie I remember is she was a redhead and I blew 3-bucks trying to win her a stupid bear. Guess it wasn't meant to be. I won you that white rabbit on the first try."

Her eyes are still closed but she's facing me, and I can see her smile. "I still have that."

"Really?"

"Really, really. I kept a lotta things from you and Steve after ya'll died. That rabbit is tucked away in a safe place and wearing your dogtags."

"I wanna see it some time."

"Mk."

"'M sorry."

She sighs. "It's alright. I get it. I don't like the idea of you and someone else either. It's an unspoken rule not to go for the bestie or keep it in the family. Steve being Steve though, he's so . . . puppy-like when it comes to women. Women today aren't like what he's used to and the last thing I wanted to hear was, Jaydn, there's this girl that won't leave me alone or worse, Jaydn, I got this weird rash here."

I chuckle and begin laughing.

"What? It's true. I don't trust women today. They are grimy as hell."

"You love him?"

"There's a difference with loving someone and being in love with them. I love my friends. Steve is a friend, therefor I love him."

"D'you love me?"

I can see her swallow and then her eyes open, unfocused, and for a second I'm reminded of a cat. Say yes. I need you to say yes.

"I still love you. I don't care if it's weird to anyone. It feels right to me. It's like . . . like I went away but now I'm back. For me, nothings changed. I want there to be an us, and,"

My throat is tight and my eyes are blurring with tears.

"I know I'm different now but I'm working on it. I can be that guy again."

"Ssh. Your heart rate is rocketing. C'mere,"

I scooch down so my head rests against her arms wrap around my head.

"You don't have to be anyone but yourself. I don't expect you to be that guy. If you were still exactly the same after all HYDRAs done to you, I'd really question your sanity." Her fingers brush my hair all to one side.

"I do love you Bucky. But 70 years is a long time. When you died, it was so sudden that I just kinda buried it after the first week. I don't know if what I feel is just nostalgia or if we should pick up where we left off, and because of that, I'm trying not to hurt you."

She loves me? She LOVES ME!

"I vote for picking up where we left off. Worst thing that can happen is you dump me. How 'bout it? You still wanna be my girl?"

Her index finger trails from my forehead down the bridge of my nose.

"Gimme a day to think."

"Alright. One day. It's been 70 years. I guess one day won't kill me. Then again, given the state of the world, who knows? I suggest we work up an appetite and having a late lunch."

I bury my face in her bosom and squeeze her ass at the same time.

"James Barnes, you horny toad!"

"You're damn right I'm a horny toad. I blame you for that. Walkin' around here in your unmentionables." I roll her onto her back and nip at her neck, her jaw and then kiss her sweetly on the lips.

"As much as I'd like that, we must not dive into this. Bucky, hey!" She grabs me by the hair and pulls my face away from her neck. "Behave yourself and put jabba back in his hut."

"I don't understand that reference but I get the idea. I think. Let me calm down and we'll go get breakfast."

"Kittens, puppies, morbidly obese men with saggy knockers bigger than mine."

"Are you trying to kill my mood?"

"Yep. I figure those things kill my mood, maybe it'll work for you."

"Considering the knockers I'm staring at, I can't think about your distraction."

"Zombies! The scent of horse shit, boiled cabbage and-"

I kiss her to shut her up.

"Get dressed, sweetness. Breakfast, the gardens, and then I wanna make a scene that will make Victor foam at the mouth like a rabid dog."

"Yes, yes, and no. Provoking Victor is not a good idea. It's been a good morning so far. Lets not ruin it. Just the lingering questions in his head is enough."

She hogs the bathroom until she's done changing and grooming herself.

"Lookin' good."

"I know."

"That was the part where you say thanks, you're not so bad yourself."

"See? You already know you're a-"

"Nana!"

"Handsome fella. You're supposed to knock y'know!"

Alex knocks on the open door and smiles.

"You guys really wanna walk around all morning with me? It's gonna be boring."

"Mama told us you're leaving again tomorrow. Where you goin'?"

"Georgia."

"Why?"

"That's uber top secret James Bond shit you can't know."

"Are you my nans boyfriend?"

"Something like that."

"Either you are or you aren't."

"It's complicated adult stuff. Drop it. Where we going first?"

"That way!"

I check the time. I've got an hour to kill before I'm to go on duty. I go with them to the gardens in the empty city lots where houses used to sit before they were condemned and torn down.

Every tree we pass blossoms and fruit appears on it. Arches have been built for vines to climb up. Pumpkins everywhere, cucumbers, squash and entire walls of beans and jungles full of tomatoes.

"Sprout!"

The old man gets startled and tips right over.

"Damn it Jaydn! You harlot! Help me up!"

"I couldn't help myself. You're like a turtle on his back."

"You are an awful girl, scaring an old man so he'll fall over. Have you no shame?"

"Not really, no."

He's the age I should be, or would be, if I wasn't shoved in cryo. He's a little shorter than me, hunched over, and has bifocals that make his eyes look huge.

"How have you been?"

"I've seen better days." He sighs. "I had hoped to be dead by World War III but whatever. If I was 30-years younger I'd be teaching these idiots how it's done."

"Are you implying that my trainers are inadequate?"

"I'm saying this generation has too much TV and video games and thinks hauling ass with 50-pounds of supplies and weapons on ya is easy as rhubarb pie. Who's this beefy fella?"

"Sergeant James Barnes."

"A Howling Commando? I thought they were all dead."

"They missed one. He's like a cockroach."

"Hey now, that's not nice to say about your sweetheart."

"Sweetheart? Ooh, am I sensing babies in the future? Sweet, adorable mini Jaydns? It'd be about time you became an honest woman again. That Stark fella, pft! 30-years younger and this foot would be up that kids ass, all the way to the knee."

"You could reach your leg that high when you were 60?"

"Son, when I was 60, I was still running 5 miles a day and bench pressing my weight. Then a group of inbreed Texans thought since I was a mutant, they were gonna teach me a lesson. After that injury, the body just crapped out on me." He sighs, "But I gave them all a wicked case of poison ivy that they all eventually died from. Revenge was served slow and itchy, and so satisfying."

"Like rhubarb pie?"

"Yes ma'am. What brings you out here? You think I can't handle myself?"

"I know you can, but as requested by Rachel, I'm here. I guess ya'll aren't up to quota?"

"Oh, yes we are! Winter be coming and we've canned and cured so much that we're outta jars, spices, herbs and salt. I think she just wanted ta meet ya. Ever since she was a kid it was always Jaydn this, Jaydn that, did you know she once turned a person into a tree?" He drones dramatically.

"But since you're here, have at it. I won't stop you." He chuckles and then adds. "As if I could."

As if anyone could.

Gabrielle is here. Big Stan tells me that she and Elle are old friends and suspects them of being something more.

They're currently sitting around half naked, talking and Jaydn is braiding Elles hair. I shouldn't be eavesdropping, but I can't leave knowing it's about me.

"Okay, so for once your boyfriend's back from the dead?"

"Yes."

"And he is what? Trapped in 1945? Or does he realize it's been 70 years and you've had boyfriends and got kids, and aren't human?"

"He's aware of the current year, but he's still got the feels from 1945. While he's far from thrilled about the series of exes and kids that aren't his, and I anticipated that, but he didn't seem to freaked out about the fact I'm not completely human."

"I'm sure you'd be negative two-thousand if you found out he had a family elsewheres."

"My head would explode and she'd possibly go missing."

As morbid as that is, it still makes me smile.

"But there's a difference between having a family and having kids. Having a family implies mom and dad are still together, which mom and dad are not. Similar, but not the same."

"How is he mentally?"

"As far as I can tell he's pretty lucid. Steve tells me he remembers much from before HYDRA and remembers a lot of what went on during HYDRA."

"Did you find that book yet?"

"No, but believe me, I'm looking. Then I'm-a burn that bitch to a crisp."

"You ever find yours?"

"Nope."

What? Hers? She's been conditioned? WHAT!

"But when I do, if that shit is even readable, that's gonna be burned too."

"How's the nightmares?"

"He does better when sleeping next to someone."

"Oh really?"

"Yes, Elle, we've slept together. In the same bed. With clothes on."

"Seriously? Boyfriend back from the dead and he's ready to pick up where you left off, do you need an invitation to jump him? God knows you need it since Steve isn't givin' it to- ow!"

"Oops, I thought I saw a bug."

"Does he know about Steve?"

"We had decided to keep that to ourselves and Victor and his fucking mouth opened up a can of worms."

"How'd he take it?"

"He threw in my face that Steves his best friend and dead or not, you don't cross that line. I don't think he and Steve are talking again, yes, but he and I are."

"Have you talked to Steve?"

"He said Bucky will come around and he can't stay mad at him forever. I think they just need to punch each other in the face and be done with it."

"There's a lotta people- A LOT- that think they're gay and you three are menois a toi. Some of the imagery, just, wow, as steamy as it is scandalous."

"If I didn't know better, I'd think the same thing."

Steve told me that our kinda male-bonding is so uncommon today that it's mistaken for being gay.

"I wouldn't mind a Bucky and Steve sandwich."

"Elle!"

"What? As if you've never given it a thought."

"No comment."

What?

"They're both delicious and look like they can break me in half. You know how that's my type. How are you coping with him being back?"

Jaydn doesn't respond right away.

"It's confusing. I grieved, stuffed what I could in a box and put it away and life goes on. Is this what it's like when I'm back from the dead?"

"You're thrilled and ready to kill him at the same time?"

"Yeah."

"Yep. That's about it. You still love him?"

"There's something there. I just don't know if it's nostalgia or what."

"Have you told him this? And how'd he respond?"

"I did and he said the worst thing that could happen is I break up with him."

"He's got a point."

"There ya go, Viking hair."

"Thanks. Your turn. You wanna know what I'd do?"

"Lay it on me. I know you will even if I say no."

"I'd go for it. That is unless you and Steve were evolving from friends with benefits?"

"Steve being Steve, he either makes himself perfectly clear or he doesn't. He hasn't said and I'm not digging."

"You two still sleep in the same bed?"

"Not since Bucky's been back."

"Hm. Well, when you wake up next to Steve, are you happy?"

"Yes."

"When you wake up next to Bucky, are you happy?"

"Yes."

"Then I suggest a menois a toi, or you are in hot water."

What the fuck's a menois a toi?

"I just wish I knew how things would go, y'know? They're both great guys. They don't deserve to be jerked around."

"Schrodingers Cat. You don't know until you open the box."

"Could be Pandora's box of shit for all I know. Especially with Bucky's relationship with Natalia. I just wanna punch a spy in the face. And speaking of, she's dropped off the face of the Earth. I wouldn't be surprised of she's hiding in Wakanda."

"So lean on Barton until he spills."

"I just might."

"Was his relationship with her when he was with HYDRA?"

"Yeah. She was his student."

"Ooh, kinky."

"Not helping."

"You're so cute when you're jealous."

"I don't get jealous. I get angry. And I turn into Bruce on a bad day."

"If it was with HYDRA, all things HYDRA are history with him, right?"

"So he claims, but he hasn't had any interaction with her. Except the airport fiasco with Stark. I still can't believe he dragged Peter into it. He's a fucking kid."

"Then he's seen her and had time to talk to her. If he hasn't, maybe he's not interested in picking up where they left off?"

"Or he was too busy with the oh my god, Joan is still alive and she's a giant ball of fire and has claws like an animal."

"Maybe. But he also did kiss you. He saw you were still alive and he was so happy, he kissed you. Actions speak louder than words. All done."

"Now lets ruin it by going swimming."

"You can go swimming. I wanna keep my hair for at least a- ah! No! No!"

I lean forward and peer over the corner of the building and Jaydn is trying to get her into the pool.

"No! I don't wanna!"

"Yes you do!"

"No!"

Jaydn suddenly stops and asks, "Then why you complain you're hot?"

"Because I am. You have seen me, right? Ah!"

When Jaydn rolls she tries pulling Elle with her, but doesn't drag her in. She flops in the water like a rock and Elle is laughing.

"God! I forget how graceful you are!"

"It's been a while since I was referred to as god, so thanks."

"Shut up. Don't get a big ego. You're not Loki."

"No, I'm the Niles daughter, bitch." She splashes at Elle but it comes up short.

"Ha! You missed."

A large portion of water waves out of the pool and soaks Elle. She's sitting there looking startled and cold, her sunglasses half off her face, and she just looks like she's ready to throw a tantrum.

"Oh it is on now!"

"What's on? If it's the stove, turn that shit off while you're out here. We don't need a fire like that time you tried to cook duck."

"That was over a century ago! Let it go!"

"Poor Quacky. At least his sister tasted good. Oh yeah, that's right, I cooked her."

Elle attacks by jumping on her and then climbing on her and trying to drown her.

"Is that really necessary?"

"She has gills! This just makes me feel better. You must be James." She says my name dramatically and with a smile.

Jaydn rolls and pulls Elle under with her.

"Yes, that's James."

"Have we met before?"

"No. I was in Europe. She came to France after you died. Are you going to join us or stand there looking pretty?"

"You're prettier than me, blondie."

"That's your opinion."

Elles smile disappears and she gasps. "Are you insinuating I'm ugly?"

"Hideous. I'm amazed people aren't turned to stone by your very gaze. Don't inflate her ego. It's big enough as it is."

"Speak for yourself."

"I'm not the one that can hear peoples thoughts. You get complements without fishing and without them being said out loud and it inflates your head at times. I do believe I won that argument."

"Kiss my butt."

"Kiss it your damn self. What is with you and climbing on me? Do I look like your jungle gym?"

"Yes. Now turn into a polar bear and mush! Take me around the pool!"

"You're lucky I like you or I'd drown you for this behavior."

Jaydn disappears under the water and up comes her bathing suit. Damn water in my way of getting a view I've been dying to see since I snapped back into myself.

Up comes ears and eyes, and when she gets closer she spits water in Elles face. After watching her take Elle around the pool, I decide I'm joining in. I haven't gone swimming since the one time I managed to get Steve to come to Coney Island beach with me and actually get in the water.

I strip down to my shorts and cannon ball into the pool. Elles now sitting on Jaydn as if she's a horse and is scratching the back of her neck with both hands.

"Okay. I'll get your suit. I've had enough water now. That last sweep around the pool got water in my left ear."

"I'll get it for her. I wanna see a polar bear up close. I know this one won't eat me."

Both ears wiggles back and forth and she comes over to me, opening her jaw and covering my entire shoulder. Her eyes are the same. Big and brown and I can just tell it's her. Her tongue sweeps across my cheek and half my mouth.

"Aw, she likes you."

Jaydn makes an odd sound and waves at her.

"Can I pet you?"

Her head bobs yes. How do you even pet a bear? I settle on treating it like petting a dog. I rub behind her ears and the back of her neck, under her jaw. She holds up a paw and I measure my hand against it. Holy shit that's a big paw.

"You ready for your clothes now?"

She nods yes. I find her top easily but the bottoms have floated away.

"You know, I'm not opposed to nudity."

"Be that as it may, should my grandkids find out where I am, the last thing I wanna hear is, boobies and giggling."

"They're 13. What do you expect? That's the age I noticed boobs."

"You remember that?"

"Yeah. It was a picture of a pin-up in a bar where my old man worked. Can't remember what she looked like, other than I liked it. When did you notice boys?"

Her head tilts and she really has to think.

"I don't know. Huh, I don't think I've ever given it much thought."

"Do you remember your first?"

"My first what?"

"Kiss?"

She shakes her head no.

"Love?"

"I remember he was Sioux."

"Sue?"

"S-I-O-U-X."

"Where do they live?"

"North-middle of America. Parts of modern day North and South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota and Nebraska. It's been that long it's the only thing I recall about him."

"And who popped your cherry?"

She doesn't object when I pull her closer. Her legs loosely circle my waist and arms on my shoulders. As much as I want to grab a handful, I don't. I keep my hands at her waist.

"Ooh, that is crass, James Barnes!"

"Well?"

"Is a mighty deep hole with water in it."

"Do you not remember?"

"Not clearly. Wanna know a terrifying and freaky fact of feral anatomy?"

"You don't lay eggs, do you?"

"What? No!"

"Just checking. Cause that would definitely be weird and a deal breaker. Lay the terrifying and freaky on me."

"I'm a virgin."

"Oh, I know that's a lie."

"My regeneration is that extreme. The hymen is just fleshy tissue that stretches across the opening of my lady bits. Thing is, I'm born with it. Remember I told you a lot of what you see isn't what I was born with? But my body still knew it was there and it goes, okay, this is how you're made, and so I'm stuck with it."

"Oh my god."

"Did I just blow your mind?"

"Hell yes, you did! Jesus, Jaydn! Why didn't you ever tell me?"

"Cause I didn't have to. You weren't all, let me just stick it in and be done."

I chuckle.

"What? Don't giggle at me. Some guys think, hey, I'm horny, babe, lets go to the bedroom and bam! She's ready to go. Some can flick it on and off like a switch, but for most of us, rushing doesn't get us anywhere but irritated, both physically and mentally."

"That's just . . . isn't it ever unpleasant?"

She shrugs. "Only when I'm really not in the mood or there's no prepping."

After a moments silence she asks me, "You okay? Did I break you?"

"It's gonna take more than that to break me. I don't really have anything to say about it. Sure, it's weird, but weird's like normal for me now. What exactly is a hymen?"

"I just said what it was."

"Yeah, but I don't get it. I didn't exactly give my girl a medical exam before doing the dirty. Is that why it hurts the first time?"

"It's partly the reason, yeah. Foreplay is everything and like the rest of the human form, it varies from woman to woman. For some it's nearly non-existent and for others it's a pain in the hoo-ha."

"Hoo-ha? That's one I've never heard before."

"You wouldn't believe the modern slang for it. Some just sounds ridiculous. How were you while I was gone?"

"Not happy."

She rolls her eyes. "Not what I meant. I meant, nightmares, did you have any? Flashbacks?"

"Nothing worth mentioning."

She gives me a look and to erase it I peck her lips.

"Nope." She turns her head, nose in the air. "You gets nothing unless you tell the truth."

"Jaydn,"

"Bucky."

"Jaydn."

"What?"

"Either gimme those lips or I'll nibble on something else."

"You best not be thinking what I think you're thinking cause we're in a p-"

Her neck. She's always been sensitive about it. Who touched her there, how, and for how long. She's also a fan of biting but so am I.

I smooch and nip along her neck, her head gradually turning down and I finally get to kiss her like I've been wanting to.

"Why do you taste like lemons?"

"I was eating them. Duh."

"They're sour."

"But still sweet."

"I wasn't complaining."

Just having her this close and kissing her is making my heart race and my shorts tent. I'm like a fucking school boy without the drugs HYDRA had me on. Now I even see a Victoria Secret ad and I twitch.

She leans forward against me with a sigh, her arms around my neck and one hand playing with my hair.

"Are you purring?"

I smirk when she nips me.

"Have you thought about us?"

The purring stops.

"I have."

"And?"

"There are terms and conditions that apply."

"Say what?"

She sits up and looks at me.

"I don't want you out in the field."

"Don't be ridiculous. I'm gonna be on your six."

"It clouds my judgement."

"You have your kids in the field with you."

"It's different. Yes, they're my kids, it's a different kind of love and my response is to be a mama bear. When my lovers are on the same field as me, I hold back."

"Why?"

"Because I know what I look like and I don't want you to see it. Kids have already seen it."

"It can't be any worse than what I've done."

"I've opened up the ground and buried people alive. At least your targets were dead before you buried the evidence. You ever drown someone? How about set someone on fire."

"No and yes."

"While they were still alive."

"Jaydn."

"Don't Jaydn me, Bucky. The difference between us is I enjoy it."

"You enjoy killing people? Since when?"

"I have not always been kind towards mortals. I used to hunt you for sport."

"The key word being used to. And we are at war. If you think I don't enjoy killing SHIELD and HYDRA agents that want to put a leash on you and mind fuck me, you're wrong. And I'm just as happy killing people like that. It keeps you safe. It keeps Steve safe. I might be mad at the punk but you two are all I've got. Hell will freeze over before I let it get taken away again. Can we at least try working together in the field? And if it proves to be a problem, we'll work around it?"

She sighs. "We can try it but if it doesn't work, things are gonna change and I don't wanna hear a peep outta ya."

"Yes ma'am. Anything else about these terms and conditions?"

"Loads. Starting with Victor. You are to ignore him. From now on, he is air to you. The only time I wanna hear or see you two fighting is if he hits you first. He's got a big mouth and he does it to provoke you and put a wedge between us."

"I can't promise anything. Next."

"Wade. I know you don't like our history, but I keep him grounded. The Victors rules apply to Wade too."

"That feels like a lot, but okay. Next."

"Azazel and I are still friends. He and Lindy are very into one another. I expect you to be civil towards him and suspect it will be easy since he is not like Victor and Wade. He won't be sharing details of our relationship with you or rubbing anything in your face."

"I kinda gathered that when we met. Anything else?"

"If we can't work together in the field, I will be away for weeks and maybe months at a time. Do you think you can handle that?"

"As long as you come back in one piece, I can handle it. Next."

"I think that's it. That's all I can think of at the moment."

"If you think of another, you let me know."

Our kissing is interrupted with whistling, claps and a dozen people peering at us from beyond the bushes.

"Oh, get lost! Ya act like we just gave up virginity!"

"Did you?"

"Nana's got a boyfriend! And what's a virginity?"

"It's when someone has sex for the first time."

"That adult thing?"

"Yes, that adult thing."

"Neh!" April jumps off the diving board and into the water.

"So much for having time alone."

"I recall you wanting kids once upon a time. In fact, your exact words were, we need to have five, four boys and a princess."

"I don't recall that."

"It was on the night you shipped out and you saw me with one of the army brats and that's when you were all, I never knew you were so good with kids. We're gonna make a bunch of those. And I told you to keep dreaming."

"Looks like I'm gonna keep dreaming."

Out the corner of my eye I can see Victor push Alex into the pool.

"Victor!"

"Kids gotta learn how to swim some time."

He climbs on Jaydn and looks like a frightened cat climbing a tree.

"Ow, Alex. Chlorine water in those scratches. And you're choking me. C'mon, chill will ya?"

"There's nothing to it. I've been swimming since I was a baby." April tells him.

"Because you're a catfish." Jasper just made a cat joke and Alex gets it.

"Stand up. Don't gimme that look. It's shallow here."

Yep. Still good with kids. Only difference is now I'm all kinds of fucked up so I'm just gonna keep dreamin' about them kids.

A/N: Running out of ideas. Any suggestions?


End file.
